This Sky This Dream
by Krimzonrayne
Summary: Ranma is sent to another world, one where her life is just a comic book Or has she? Then how come everyone she knows is there? Although... A story about life and changes, rated for complex plot. Will crossover with Evagelion and Cowboy Bebop.ORIGINAL TAKE
1. Chapter 1: Sapphire

--- TT ---

'This Sky This Dream.' by Krimzonrayne no Akai Kou Hana.

Chapter One: Sapphire; the end of winter's beautiful blues.

Standard disclaimer applies to all pre existing characters, the poem is mine though. Megumi Hayashibara and other voice actors/actresses mentioned are people in their own right and I do not, in any way, own any of them. They name are used here without consent but for non-monetary purposes.

Title is a quote from the opening theme for season 3.

Note that the irregular and seemingly incorrect usage of commas and colons are intentional. They are done specifically to convey specific meanings (i.e. to understand, pause at every comma when reading like you should!) please do not regard them as grammatical mistake.

--- TT ---

Glance to the North, for spring comes.

Like a colorful melodious duet it dances, flitted across the barren land.

And you, my sweet innocent Dandelion, shall feel its gentle graces.

And you, my sweet innocent Dandelion, shall be lifted amongst the cerulean sea.

And you, my sweet young Dandelion, you shall fly.

But so cold, the wheel turns.

Ever so slowly, the sky shifts, under what is nothing but words,

words that are left unspoken. If it is forever then… let it hold its peace.

For today there are, no words left unshared that were meant to be imparted,

no thought unvoiced that should have been heard.

And so, ever so slowly, the wheel will turn,

for God had forsaken us for other unworldly duties.

But take heart, my sweet Dandelion. For all is not lost.

You still have your dreams.

And in those dream you have ambition.

Of all those that are glorious there's but one destiny;

to be bound inside a nutshell and suffer bad dreams.

But times will come, my sweet Dandelion, when you must wake.

For all that has a beginning, has an end.

In the meantime fly! Fly, my ambitious Dandelion,

ride that bittersweet taste of freedom as long as it lasts...

…as long as it lasts...

For when you come down you shall know, once more,

of what has been so obscure before.

That ground is hard and you, my Dandelion, you cannot fly.

The Flight of the Dandelion, by Krimzonrayne no Akai Kou Hana

--- TT ---

Sleep and peace seem to have a way of intertwining with one another. One cannot know true peace without sleep. And sleep, it seems, comes unbidden when one is at peace. Such, is nature of most mankind.

Most, being the practical word here.

The reason being that for some, sleep and peace themselves seems mutually elusive enough. And for them to even think of such rare fortune of experiencing both phenomena at the same time would seem foolish; not so different from lusting after the proverbial pot of gold at the end of rainbow really.

And such, is the nature of one Saotome Ranma, a boy who appeared to have been blessed to live in an interesting time. To exist as a play-toy of some obscure mischievous god, even if he did manage to defeat one. To be the object of desire of several attractive women while he himself is one at certain points in time. To be a heroic rescuer of maidens and slayer of demonic beasts who reaps no reward for his fearless efforts.

Yes, he must be truly blessed to live such an eventful life. Though if you ask him he would say he has been cursed.

But I digress, the point is, or rather, was that; there's freedom in dreams. Because only in dream do you truly have a choice.

--- TT ---

The soft echoing sounds of footsteps follow. Wherever she goes, wherever he goes. No matter how fast she runs, no matter how fast he runs; it always follows. Just one step slower at the last corner or behind the closed door or in her shadow, always hidden but always follows.

Always follows.

"Who are you?" The girl, the boy, yelled at the phantom, and with all certainty, it was a phantom, daring it to confront her, him. But her words, his words, were not ones of bravery but cowardice. Because she is, he is, afraid of what she, or he, cannot see but if her, or his, damnable pursuer would appear then she, or is it he, could deal with it.

"What do you want?" She, or is it he, shouted at the door she had walked through not a moment ago, wishing it would open. Wishing it would remain close. "What do you want?"

"What do you want?" came a quiet reply.

She, it was definitely a she now, as HE would never be THIS afraid, spun around. Her bright red hair, lacking the ever-present Dragon's whisker, fluttered into a radiant halo as she turned to face the origin of the reply.

"…What do you want? ...What do you want?" The increasing softer echoes resounded across the dark hall the girl was in.

Hall, the girl thought, looking around in desperation as she lost her bearings. What happened to the corridor she was in moments ago? What is this place? Where is she?

"Are you afraid?" Came a voice, this time not of her making.

"Of course not!" The girl scoffed as she leaned back into a defensive stance, preparing for the anticipated- the imminent battle.

"... you are," the voice commented in a monotone voice that was devoid of any emotion. "How, utterly, disappointing… I was expecting so, much, more."

"I'm not afraid!" the girl bellowed indignantly but her heart wasn't in it. She was well and truly petrified by now.

"You are not?" the voice said with no small amount of sarcasm. "Yet your pulse quickens, your pupils dilate and your dainty hands shake. What interesting reactions. Are you then, perhaps, sexually aroused? After all, that would account for all of your symptoms. Are you, perhaps, turned on by the fact that some mysterious stalker might physically bend you to his will and use your body for his carnal pleasure?

The girl stiffened, she had not thought of that. What if that was her intention from the beginning?

Wait, HER? Where did that come from? Wasn't it just, well, an IT a moment before? What had made her decide that her stalker was female? Wait, stalker? Wasn't she just a pursuer a moment before? What does it mean? What does it mean?

What does it mean?!?

"It means, my dear Girl," the voice that was now clearly feminine said, this time almost mockingly, tauntingly, "that you knew exactly who I am."

"No! It can't be," The red haired girl gasped loudly as she backed away, having dropped her arms as all martial knowledge escaped her leaving behind a terrified young girl. "You're not real."

"On the contrary, my dear Ranma-chan, I am very real," The voice disputed, stepping out from the shadow which silhouetted before. The girl who, apart from jet-black hair, was almost an exact replica of the red head pointed at Ranma and continued. "You, on the other hand, are only figment of a writer's imagination; a character in pages of a comic book."

"You're lying," The martial artist, or was that imaginary martial artist, protested weakly as she kept backing away, her gazed fixed at the floor.

"I'm not. I'm not because I can't," Ranma's raven-haired counterpart said quietly. "Oh god, how I wish I could, how I PRAY I could. But I can't, you know I can't." She walked forward, placed a finger under the cringing girl's chin and lifted her face up so she can look into her eyes.

"No one can lie to themselves Ranma, not forever."

"No no no no no," The red haired girl shook her head and muttered in denial. This is just a bad dream. It has to be. Her companion, her stalker, her phantom, sighed loudly, as if she was reading her mind. She walked forward and grabbed the shorter girl by her lapel, hoisting her up almost effortlessly.

"Then wake up."

--- TT ---

"Wake up!"

It was wet. A simple, familiar, yet both pleasant and unpleasant sensation all rolled into one. Then it spreads, ever so slowly it crept, across the hand, up the arm around the shoulder and finished as a soft tingle in the spine.

Saotome Ranma, now a girl, blinked once before dodging an in coming foot that blocked her field of vision not a moment earlier. She shook herself slightly as she dodged the follow up punches and kicks from her opponent. He was middle-aged, ugly and somewhat overweighed.

'Middle-aged, ugly and overweighed?' she thought. Confusion turned to relief and mild irritation as gears began to turn in her head.

"Why did ya do that Pop? I was having a good dream!" The young martial artist yelled as she hit her old man with her own flurry of blows. It was a lie, though; she wasn't having a good dream at all. In fact it was more of a nightmare, the same one she's been having for weeks.

"You're getting too soft Boy. Sleeping for more than day break is for weak little girls," Genma yelled right back as he parried her blows with some difficulty. 'Hm, the boy is getting much faster now, especially in his female form.' The bald man noted as a blow slipped through his defense and tagged him on a shoulder. He retaliated with a powerful round house kick that force the girl to jump back.

Ranma curled into a ball in mid-air and flew out the window into the back yard where she landed beside the koi pond. She slipped into a loose stance and waited for her father to attack. When he did, she simply threw him into the cold water beside her. In truth she could have fought him like she does Ryoga; trading meaningless blows to develop each other skill and reflexes but her heart wasn't in it today.

"That was a cheap shot!" The emerging panda shook his sign at her angrily.

"Whatever Pop, I'm going to take a bath," She said indifferently as she walked onto the veranda. A part of her still thanked him for waking her up and unwittingly rescued her from a nightmare, and for that she didn't really want to hurt him.

"What's with you?" said the new sign. "Is it that time of the month again?"

'On the other hand,' Ranma thought as she turned around, cracking her knuckles as she did so. 'Toughening him up for future battles would be perfectly suitable expression gratitude.'

And the battle was joined anew.

-A while later-

"Ranma-chan! Uncle!" a voice that the pseudo-girl recognized as Kasumi's called out to them. "Breakfast is ready!"

"I'll be right there Kasumi!" the red head shouted her reply. She spared the crumpled, bruised and beaten form of her father one last glance before walking into the house. Just as she walked through the sliding door, she heard a familiar incessant tapping of a curtain Tendo sister.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk. Ranma, Ranma, Ranma. How many times to I have to tell you, I'm not a morning person?" A very irritated Nabiki rebuked the buxom young martial artist. "Pay the four thousand yen you own me now and I'll forget about it." she said, holding out her hand expectantly at her.

Ranma was about to argue that it was Genma's fault but the words died in her mouth. For some reason it was important for her that she kept to her normal routine today. As if something was coming, something big. Something that she knew, subconsciously, will challenge her view of the world and change everything. It was as if this deeper sense of understanding was telling her to go about her day per normal, to act as if nothing has changed so that she may commemorate each and everyone in her life to memory.

As if she was saying goodbye to them one last time.

"Well?" the older girl pressed impatiently, torn between stripping her favorite victim of some cash and getting her daily fix of caffeine.

Ranma shook herself out of her reverie and handed her one-day sister-in-law her money, grumbling as she did so. Well, faking grumbling as she did so. The brown haired girl blinked once before taking the money and walked away. She hadn't expected it to be quite so easy. A part of her was glad at the lack of hassle but a smaller part, the older sister persona, could not help but worry for him. It was not like him give in without a fight, even if any effort would have been futile. She stopped just as she reached the door to the kitchen, her nagging conscience finally got to her.

"Ranma…" Nabiki paused, not sure how to address the topic. "…are you okay?"

The said girl paused. 'How did she know?' the thought reverberated through her head. She turned around slowly as if her hands were caught in the proverbial cookie jar. A momentary awkward silence occurred when her soft blue eyes met the other girl's brown orbs.

"Of course I am," Ranma answered brightly, her voice filled with false confidence and phony bravado, which the mercenary girl saw right through.

"Then why are you idling in the hallway, Saotome? If you make me wait for my bath, I swear you will regret it," the ice queen said vehemently, hoping to god that her poisonous tone would hide her true emotions. She watched him (who was presently her) as she paced away quickly and sighed. She knew whatever was troubling him, it was big and he would not, and cannot share it with her. She sighed once again; sometime she wanted nothing more than to be there for him, to tell him that he can trust her when it really matters, that she would not betray him when he needed her the most.

"Ranma…" she whispered. "… sometime I wish that you could see the truth."

"Sister…" Akane uttered from behind her, apparently heard everything.

"I know… but it really hurt sometimes," Nabiki said turning around, sighing softly as she did so. "At least it's almost over."

"Yes…today is THE day," The younger girl commented in the same low pitch and emotionless voice her sister often used.

Nabiki eyes widen in shock. "Today?!? But I have no idea..." she gasped, holding her hand over her mouth in case she could refrain herself from shouting. Her eyes narrowed as a thought came to her. "Why wasn't I informed? Why didn't I know in the first place?"

Akane sighed; she knew it wasn't going to be pleasant, explaining this to her sister that is. "You KNOW why, you were too close to HIM. We know what you would've done if we told you. Heck, YOU know what you would've done."

Nabiki clenched her right fist hard enough for her knuckles to turn white. "I would've retrained myself. You don't have the right to keep that information from me, especially when you know how much I care about him," She snarled at her sister, gritting her teeth in fury.

A lesser individual would've run away when confronted with such aura of rage, but not Akane, she just wasn't that kind of person. "Don't give me that crap about self-control Nabiki, out of all of us that's the one thing you have the least of. Beside, what would you've done with the information? Jump his bone one last time before it's all over?" The brown haired girl said with a sneer.

Slap!

Akane stared dazedly up at her older sister as she rubbed her reddening cheek. That slap had hurt! She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Nabiki screamed at the fallen girl, tears streaming down her face. "How dare you…" she repeated, softer this time, almost under her breath. The girl gave her younger sister one last withering look before turning around and walked away.

"Have you forgotten why you're here, 'Sister'?" Akane asked rhetorically, not lifting her eyes off the wooden floor. "You know that this day was coming. You know there's nothing you can do."

"So? Do you know how much it hurt to have it sprung on me like this? I love him, damn it. Doesn't mean anything to you?"

"Today is inevitable, Sis. Knowing it would've hurt you more."

"DON"T YOU DARE SAY IT WAS FOR MY OWN GOOD!" Nabiki shrieked before continuing in a much softer tone. "You have no idea what he means to me."

Akane apparently had enough; she jumped up and crossed the space between herself and her older sister in frightening speed. "Oh for Christ's sake! Open your eyes Nabiki, he doesn't exist. He's not real!" The young girl said, shaking Nabiki's shoulders with her hands.

"He's as real as we are!" Nabiki retorted angrily, she wasn't ready to back down, not over this. Some how, this fire of determination must have made itself known to the younger girl because nothing more was said between the two. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Akane released her sister and brushed past her. When she reached the stairs, she paused and turned around slowly.

"Please Nabiki, finish what you're here for. You know what to do. It's not that complicated so please; just do your part okay?" Akane said tiredly before she turned around and plodded upstairs to get ready.

Left with that, Nabiki sighed and grimly followed her sister upstairs where her own ceremonial kimono awaits.

--- TT ---

"What the?! What the heck am I wearing?!" Ranma awoke, blinked once and screamed. He tugged at his white …something… uncomfortably as he waited for an explanation. He didn't really mind formal wear that much, partly because it suits him well and makes him look even more dashing than normal. But the decorative roses were a bit too feminine for his taste.

"A tuxedo, SON! You have to dress appropriately for your wedding, don't you?" Soun said blandly, stressing the word son meaningfully.

"My what?" Ranma asked in undisguised confusion.

"Akane has consented to proceed with the wedding," Genma clarified from behind the boy just as his mother chimed in her comment, "Oh Ranma you look so strong and manly!"

Ranma eyes widened as the weight of what had just been said sank in. He ran upstairs and threw open the door to Akane's room, causing the duck sign to fell off.

"HEY AKANE! What is this nonsense about agreeing to the w…" The boy trailed off as looked inside. What he saw left him speechless.

Inside was Akane, dressed all in white with a single sapphire rose resting atop her locks, holding a bundle of white flowers in her hands. "Hello Ranma..." She said softly, causing the said boy's heart to skip a beat.

"Aguh.. Gwufa? Ooga? Whoa," Ranma blurted out ineligibly, his brain overloaded by the image of angel-like Akane.

"Don't you like my dress, Ranma? I guess the Japanese-style one would've been better after all," Akane said, noting the lack of comment.

"Ah…No I mean they're both c… cute." The pig tailed martial artist garbled, his heart beating ever so loudly. "Wow… You look really beautiful, Akane."

"You really think so?" The wedding dressed girl asked softly without meeting his gaze. "I'm so glad."

As Ranma looked down at his fiancée, his fear of commitment began to return in folds. Thousands folds. He fidgeted nervously, staring alternately between the beautiful girl and the hem of her dress.

"Why the sudden change of heart? What made you want to go ahead with the wedding?" Ranma queried, sounding genuinely curious.

"Well…" Akane began, shifting her gaze from the floor between them and into the eyes of her fiancé. "You love me don't you?"

"Um… I do?" The boy said, feinting a surprise about the line of thought. "What made you think that all of a sudden?"

"But… When you were crying over me at Jusenkyo… I could've sworn I heard you… Y'know, say you loved me," Akane intoned softly, but at the same time, expectantly.

A part of Ranma wanted nothing more than to just accept it but… It's too fast. He's only eighteen; he doesn't want to get married. What about kids! He's not ready to be a father!

"I'm sure I didn't say it out loud! I didn't! NO WAY!" The pig-tailed boy yelled defiantly, more to convince himself than anyone else though.

Akane looked as if she was about to retort angrily but just as she opened her mouth something seemed to change within her. She allowed the fury within her eyes to die and looked at him strangely, almost lovingly.

"Does it really matter that you haven't said it out loud, Ranma?" the girl asked, enveloping his hands with hers. "A part of me has always known, how you really feel I mean, a long time ago, even before Jusenkyo."

"Then how do I really feel ya tomboy? Huh?" Ranma baited, hoping that his fiancée's temper would rear its ugly head.

"Heh heh heh." Akane chuckled softly, holding one dainty hand in front of her mouth. "You never had much of a poker face, Ranma-kun."

"Then how do I really feel, huh? Ya Tomboy!" the boy taunted nervously as his façade began to crackle beneath the cute wedding dressed girl's jovial scrutiny. "Well?"

Akane continued to giggle for few more seconds before assuming a serious facial expression. She looked straight into his eyes and, without the teeniest amount of hesitation, stated with total conviction.

"You love me."

--- TT ---

Nabiki treads softly as she began making her way down the stairs, being additionally careful so she'd not trip on the hem of her kinomo. The irony seemed hollow but it was almost as if that's what she'd been doing all her life, treading softly and being careful that is.

The girl sighed, again softly and quietly, before joining her older sister in the kitchen. She spotted her father sitting in the corner and walked over to him. He seemed to be hiding something but wasn't exactly inconspicuous about it.

"Daddy, you look very suspicious. You're hiding something from Ranma there, aren't you?" Nabiki recited her script accurately, right down to the last letter.

"He he he he he," Soun Tendo chuckled madly to himself as he recalled the conversation he had with the Jusenkyo guide over the phone. "Bwah ha ha ha. Until the opening of the barrel at the reception… Ranma isn't going anywhere near the Nanniichuan!!!"

"I see so THAT'S what you said to Akane to sell her on this idea. At least I only swindle people out of MONEY, Daddy." The brown haired girl said contemptuously. She didn't even have to fake the look of disgust on her face.

Ding Dong!

"Oh my, the priest is here!" Kasumi noted and began to leave the room.

"Don't worry Onee-chan, I'll get the door," the middle Tendo sister said stiffly, pushing past her father and out the door before her sister could utter a word of protest.

Soun eyed his daughter confusedly as she left the room. He turned to his eldest child and asked. "What has gotten into her, Kasumi?

"I believe Akane-chan just told her the significance of today's event, Father," The girl answered as she goes about preparing for the wedding's reception.

"But I thought she knew about the wedding days ago," the father said, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "I mean she did play her part perfectly just then."

"Yes, but we have plenty of failed wedding attempts before so it may never have occurred to her this one will be the last."

The longhaired widower thought about it for another minute before shrugging his shoulders and began helping Kasumi with the catering. 'Oh well, it's not like there's anything he can do about it now anyway.' He thought silently to himself, gesturing to his portly friend to give them a hand.

"I'll go see if the boy and Akane are ready, Tendo," Genma said before scooting out of the kitchen, once again expertly escaping from anything that has a resemblance of an honest job.

Nodoka glared at her lazy husband's behind before moving to help Kasumi with a particularly large tray of various finger foods. 'Just one more day, Nodoka, just one more day,' She repeated the words to herself like they were mantra.

"We're ready, Daddy," Nabiki said from the doorway, and then it occurred to her. "Where are the guests?"

"It just us, Nabiki. Akane wanted a small and quiet wedding remember?" Soun answered ingenuously.

"Yeah right… You just don't want any potential troublemakers here, didn't you?" The shorthaired girl commented dryly. "What about Akane's friends, Yuka and Sayuri, don't you think they want to be here for their best friend's wedding?"

"Now now Nabiki, let not make a big deal out of this. You know exactly how important today is, it was simply too risky to let them know about this."

The supposedly heartless mercenary gave her father an indignant humph before turning away. He was right and she knew it, but it still hurts, very much so as the matter of fact. She heaved a tired sigh before leaving for the dojo.

'Get yourself together, Nabiki,' She mentally prompted herself, fingering the bouquet of lavenders in her hands desultorily as she waited.

Waited as the man she loved walked by her and up to the altar. Waited as the man she loved get married. Waited as the man she loved took that final step to forever be out of her reach. And waited and waited.

Because that all she ever did, because that's all she had ever been expected to do, and maybe, because that's all she ever really wanted to do.

--- TT ---

"What wrong, Ranma-kun?" Akane intoned softly from where she was, standing beside him with her delicate hands encircled around his, the two of them holding a small mallet over the seemingly innocent wooden cask.

What's wrong? That was exactly what was going through the pigtailed boy's mind at the moment and for the love of god, he couldn't answer it. The last half an hour had been a blur for Ranma and now he was very confused, enlighteningly so.

In fact he would've bet a cask of Nanniichuan that he was confused but then again, you could almost say Ranma was an expert on the topic anyway. In fact there probably weren't enough fingers and toes in Nerima to count how many times he had been confused. But it was hardly his fault that his parents didn't choose a particularly academic life for him.

But none of that mattered now, right? He'd beaten the ultimate bad guy, got married to Akane, the girl he love AND secured a cask of Nanniichuan, which is going to guarantee their happy marriage. And that's that, right?

Then what's the problem? Why wasn't he grabbing the cure (and he was sure it's THE cure, not just any old cure) the front of him and give himself a blight-eradicating douse? Why was he hesitating?

What's wrong!?!?

"…Ranma?" His beautiful bride said softly but questioningly, her perfect brows etched in confusion.

'Of course she's confuse, you Baka!' He mentally shouted at himself. 'What the hell are you doing? Have you lost it? The Nanniichuan is right in front of you, just one splash and you're cured!'

"Ranma…"

"I can't do it Akane. There's only enough water for one here, what about Pop, Mousse and Ryoga? I can't just use it all myself, it's too dishonorable." Ranma said looking away.

"But Ranma, the Jusenkyo guide can always send us more."

"Then let one of them use it first. I can wait," The boy countered, flashing Akane a cheeky grin to show that he wasn't angry. "Besides, remember what I said at Jusenkyo? My girl side is a part of me now; it's not a curse to be cure anymore."

Instead of retorting angrily or accusing him of being a pervert for wanting to keep his curse like he'd expected, Akane gave him an uneasy smile, which felt awfully genuine. "If that's what you wish, Ranma-kun," the girl said softly before continuing on in an even softer and somewhat vacillate tone. "It's just that even though I'd gladly marry you without it, this Nanniichuan is a dowry and it was one of the reasons I agreed to this wedding. I know that you'd rather wait a few more years and I wanted to finish high school first but…At Jusenkyo you sacrificed your cure to save my life and I knew how much you wanted it…"

"Akane, if you're marrying me just cuz of the stupid cur-" Ranma began to say but he was cut off.

"No! It's not because of that… it isn't just that…"

"It isn't too late, you know," The tuxedoed boy intoned softly, looking away as he said the few most painful words. "…you can still call it off. Because, Akane, if you're doing this for something stupid like that you'll regret it forever."

"NO! Ranma, you don't understand," the girl cried, hugging Ranma fiercely before stating in a firm voice. "I. Love. You. I've fallen for you a long time ago. And the cure, the cure just helped me see that."

"The cure?"

"Well, it wasn't so much the cure as how you've always acted, Ranma. The way you always put me ahead of yourself and it's not just the cure, but also that time with the moxibustion point as well. It made me realize how much you cared about me; how much you love me." At this point the corners of the girl's lips curved up slowly, forming a hesitative smile that Ranma found irresistible.

"And I thought… I thought that if you're cured then maybe, just maybe, we can finally stop fighting and we can live happily together…" Akane's voice gave out at this point and a single tear fell from her face. She lifted a hand from where it was, entwined with his around the small mallet, and brushed the tear away.

"…I guess I was just being stupid as usual, huh?" she said with a sniffle that broke Ranma's heart.

"No Akane, it's my fault. I was the one being stupid. I should've realized what's important to me," the pigtailed boy said in a self-punitive tone. "You are important to me, Akane. Not some curse form or being the best martial artist ever or all the other rubbish I've been spouting, you, Tendo Akane; the most kind, loving and beautiful bride anyone could've wished for. You, Akane, are important to me."

Ranma brought the mallet down swiftly, making a small hole in the wooden cask. He gripped the edge of the container with one hand and turned it over his head.

"You are the person I love with all my heart," Ranma, still male and more confident than he'd ever been in his entire life, declared, with all certainty of the man who killed a god, to his wife, who smiled brightly and continued to cry, but this time in tears of happiness.

And they kissed, passionately, breathtakingly, lovingly.

It was almost like a spell has been broken. Suddenly, they were back in the Tendo dojo in front of their family and the applause was thundering. Every one were there, clapping tearfully for them; Kasumi with her unfaltering smile, Nodoka, beaming proudly, Nabiki, who managed to capture it all with her video camera and, of course, Suon who was, as you might've guessed, bawling in happiness at the realization of his dream.

Even Genma, who vowed to never cry except the occasional crocodile tears when conning someone, was openly weeping at the heart breaking scene.

The couple looked around the room with the expression of deer caught in headlight on their faces. They turned to each other, blushing with embarrassment. They got caught up in the moment and had completely forgotten their audience.

--- TT ---

"Ranma, why is it that you wanted to keep your curse?" Akane asked out of curiosity.

After that moment of drama unfolded, the wedding proceeded even better than both of them could ask for and now the newly-weds were just sitting back and generally enjoying themselves.

"Well, the truth is the curse represents something special for me. It proves that there's something you can't explain, that magic exists," Ranma said thoughtfully, staring at the panda who was stuffing its face with leftovers. "It reminds me that there's such a thing as a miracle."

"I never thought about it that way," the young bride admitted. "I guess I became used to all the excitement that followed you around."

"Yeah, that kinda what I mean," he said distractedly. "The last two years has been very hectic but to be honest I enjoyed almost every second of it."

"Ranma, the adrenaline junky, who would've thought?" the girl teased, leaning closer to her husband.

"Yep, ya got me," the martial artist whispered as he gave Akane a quick peck on her cheek to which she blushed cutely. "But no more though."

"Huh? What do you mean, Ranma?"

"Last two years was fun while it lasted, Akane, but do you really want to drag our marriage through something like that? I can't do that to you, Love." Ranma kissed her again. "I have to grow up sometime, we all have to."

Suddenly it all became clear to the shorthaired girl. "Oh, so that's why you didn't want the cure."

"Yeah, the curse reminded me of my …unique life and I guess a part of me never wanted it to end, you know, all the challenges, all the adventures-"

"All the fiancées…" Akane added.

"Yeah, all those cute, cute girls… it was a joke, ya tomboy!" he yelled playfully at his wife, his smile never slipped from his face. A short but awkward moment of silence ensued until Akane decided to break it.

"So why did you give it up?"

"Weren't ya listening, ya tomboy?" he asked aggravatingly. Akane took a halfhearted swing at the maddening boy but it failed to with the grin off his face. He danced in and kissed her again. "I did it for you, Love, my cute, cute, princess."

"So this is the ending, huh, the last chapter of the chronicles of Wild Horse." Akane said breathlessly, she could get used to this kissing stuff real quickly. "Is it a good ending?"

"You bet it is," Ranma whispered before lifting his young wife up bridal style, causing her to squeal. "Now let's get to the 'happily ever after' part."

The End.

"Are you satisfied?" The question rang out from behind her.

"…No," the red haired girl answered truthfully.

"Look that was the last one," The black haired girl said impatiently, turning off the television with the remote. "…you're stalling aren't you?"

The red head on the sofa considered the question silently. Was she stalling? Maybe, but that hardly matters, does it?

"No, it doesn't. There's no real sense of time here, only what our mind registers," the other girl answered the rhetorical, unasked question.

"Then why are you so impatient?" The girl voiced her thought even though it was apparent that it wasn't necessary.

"Because I can't see the reason for it!" the girl shouted.

"No you can not," the girl said in the same emotionless tone. She stood up and took the remote from the other girl's hand and switched on the television. It was now showing the two newlyweds snuggling up to each other. The girl returned to her seat and sat back down to watch. She gestured to the groom who snoring loudly, unaware he was being watched. "Neither could she."

"She?"

"Yes, she. But, alas, you can not understand that either," She commented solemnly. She paused and added as if it was an afterthought. "No, only I could. Only I have to bear that burden."

Silence shrouded them as the girl's voice trailed off as she gazed vacantly at the screen.

"Look, you have to go back. Now, I know I probably can't even begin to imagine what you've gone through but-"

"You are correct. You have absolutely no idea what I have gone through."

The other girl closed her mouth indignantly at the interruption. She glared at her counter part, who was still watching the sleeping couple avidly. She was about to pick up where she left off but was suspended once again by the same eerily calm voice.

"I can not go back," she said simply. She continued on, ignoring the dark haired girl who was gawking at her. "Not after all this, not with my memories. They are too… self-destructive."

"B…but then all this would've been for nothing."

"Yes, but that would be preferable to the alternative. I, you, me, us, we, would not remain sane, not with such memories."

"But you seem calm and rational enough."

"Yes, but that is further proof of my insanity. Because any sane person would be distraught beyond compare, the fact that I seem calm is sufficient indication of the caustic nature of my memories."

The dark haired one sat down dejectedly next to her companion. "So that's it then, I just go back and pretend like it was nothing? Like it was just a wonderful fantasy that I dreamt up and forget about when I'm awake?"

The corners to the stoic red head's lips lifted up, forming a discrete smile for the first time. "Oh, I wouldn't say it has been all for naught," she said wryly.

"What is it?" the raven-haired girl asked. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she felt an unfamiliar tingling in the back of her spine. She turned to the other girl and hissed, "What have you done?"

The change was as instantaneous as it was terrifying. The previously inexpressive girl sneered coldly as she turned on the other girl. She lashed out with a hand and took her counter part by her throat, pulling her up, strangling her.

"What have I done? I've done the only thing that was left for me to do, Megumi," the girl chuckled madly. "I thought you were smarter than this; I mean, 'This burden I bear.' 'Self-destructive.' 'The caustic nature of my memories.'" she quoted herself, using the same impassive tone as before. "I thought you would've caught on earlier."

The hand that was around her throat tightened even further, cutting off Megumi's supply of oxygen. The darkness began to eat away the edge of her vision; one of the telltale signs of impending unconsciousness.

"But of course, by now it is too late."

--- TT ---

Ranma woke.

He was in a bed, a soft warm bed. A luxury he couldn't remember the last time he'd experienced. Compared to the hard futon he was used to, it felt …different, not unpleasant just different. He glanced to the right and felt …nothing?!?!

The boy jumped out of bed and looked around frantically, where is Akane? Why wasn't she with him? He picked up the clothing that was hastily discarded last night from the floor and quickly dressed. He ran up to the door and was almost shocked out of his skin as he opened it.

On the other side was nothing, just dark emptiness that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles.

"Closed the door, Ranma," an erringly familiar voice intoned from behind him.

The boy, no… the man, spun around quickly, causing his pigtail to swing about erratically. Ranma blinked once and, resisting the urge to rub his eye, walked over to the bed and sat down. "This is one of those dreams, isn't it?" he said more to himself than the red head sitting beside him.

"Yes," his cursed form answered immediately and truthfully. "…and no."

"Eh huh," Ranma snorted, not in the least convinced by… by… the Freudian manifestation of his femininity. "It's so like YOU to say that."

"Kasumi doesn't know everything, Ranma," the girl said dispassionately.

"Right, right and I suppose YOU do?" the boy, no, the man countered, not backing down. According to Kasumi, confronting his dual feminine-masculine inferiority complex is the only way to get rid of the nightmares. And if there's one thing Saotome Ranma is good at, it's not backing down. "You and I are the same person, you're not any smarter than I am."

"Masterful approach, Ranma, but I'm neither you nor you female persona," the girl said, smirking lightly. "And this isn't exactly one of those dreams."

"Eh huh," Ranma commented in the same disbelieving tone, crossing his arm as he did so. "We'll see about that," he said in defiance, willing the room to change like he usually did.

….

"What the…" He muttered in confusion as nothing happened. What the hell is going on? He was lucid dreaming wasn't he? Why didn't it work?

He snapped out of his brief stupor and leapt over his curse toward the window. The pigtailed man grasped the curtain and was about to fling it aside when the same calm voice stopped him.

"Oh, that is so like you, Ranma," she commented with a giggle, mimicking his voice. "If you can't go straight you find a way around or you retreat; going through life treating everything as a battle. You know, I envy you sometime." She looked down at her scarred and calloused knuckles and continued on quietly. "Well not YOU per se, but your arrogance, your bliss. The way you can suffer so much yet never complain, treating it all like common occurrences; like it was normal."

"You never really knew how bad you had it do you? Never really understood what it all signified. All the torture, all the betrayals, all the abuse and all the pain; it was just one big adventure for you, isn't it? I never wanted to understand you, Ranma, but I guess I do now."

Ranma's hand tensed up, he didn't have to listen to this! She's just messing with his head. He thrust the curtains aside and froze up at the scene that greeted him.

The girl stood up and walked over to join the catatonic martial artist beside the windowsill. "But something does escape me though. For instance, I could never comprehend how you stand THEM." She said gesturing to the bodies scattered about haphazardly outside, bodies of his friends, rivals and fiancées alike…

…bodies that were mutilated almost beyond recognition. "Ryoga, Mousse, Shampoo, Ukyou and… Oh God no… Pop… Mum…"

"And don't let me get started on that worthless piece of lard and his lunatic of a wife…God how I hate them." She turned from the scene of carnage to face him and asked amusedly. "But do you know who the worst of them all is?"

"No… no… no… no…"

"Yep, you got it! Akane the hypocritical bitch. The one who treated us like we were her training dummy; she was the worst of them all." The girl shivered from some perverse pleasure, probably from remembering what she did to Ranma's young wife.

"Soooo….." she drawled, leaning closer and into her taller counter part as she did so. "Where my big 'thank you' for fixing up your life?"

That did it for Ranma and his aura erupted into existence. But instead of the usual blue halo of confidence it was red with a tint of black. Red for anger and black… black was for hatred.

"Oh what's wrong? Poor lil Ranma don't like his wedding gift?"

"AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The martial artist gave a scream of pure rage and rushed the girl. His speed took her by surprise and she was sent reeling across the room by his lightening fast blows. But his advantage didn't last, and as the red head's guard snapped into place, Ranma found himself hitting air.

The pigtailed man hopped back and, with a single slash of his arm, sent dozens of midnight black vacuum blades toward the girl.

"Ah ah ah" The girl wagged a finger at him condescendingly as she uses her superior speed to dodged the dark blades. She grabbed a Tanto, which she materialized with a snap of her fingers out of thin air and waved it at him. "Tsk Tsk Tsk, hitting girls, Ranma? That's not very manly at all. What ever shall we do with you?" she said mockingly, impersonating his mother with obvious amusement. She spun the short blade about in her dainty hand and tossed it to him. "Maybe you should just kill yourself. That would be the HONOURABLE path, right?"

Ranma didn't answer her; he was too consumed in his emotion to process irrelevant words. His mind worked like a perfectly honed fighting machine and it was calculating every path to which he could achieve victory.

And it found one.

He dashed forward leaning over to keep his centre of gravity low; maintaining balance at the high speed he was going. He spun around and lashed out with two well-placed kicks that parted her defenses. His right hand whipped back and snagged the Tanto from its flight path and brought it forward, removing the sheath with his thumb somewhere along the way.

It was tough, surprisingly so. Similar to cutting an overcooked steak but at the same time it was different. But the warmth was definitely …new. Absolutely. Unquestionably. It was something he'd never felt before. And it was something he was sure he never wanted to feel again.

And as the cloudy red haze cleared away Ranma, the pig tailed boy, looked down and see. The clear blue eyes that seemed to say thank you. The two soft hands that weren't holding his hand as a desperate measure of defense but was pulling on the knife; helping him kill her.

And as Ranma looked at the eviscerated girl he began to see, for the first time, what really happened.

For the first time, Ranma recognized that curious glint in her eyes for what it really was; Madness. It wasn't maliciousness or amusement that droved the girl; it was the pain of insanity. And for that one moment of epiphany the pig tailed boy, and he was a boy, understood her and could sympathize with her.

"Thank you," the girl gasped before smiling happily.

And died.

And it was then that he was consumed by the overwhelming guilt that he hadn't anticipated. But he only suffered for a moment before the blissful sleep claimed him.

--- TT ---

"!#ma!#$ wake up #$ come on &#$$!!!" !#$ $#.

"Ran$ wa#$ $ $#?" Aka# $#$#. "I sw!# if you're #!$$ thi#"

"Ranma!!!" A loud cry rang out. "Please wake up! I didn't mean it. Please!"

Ranma blinked and woke up. She felt a slight weight on her chest and tried to sit up only to lie down again as her effort triggered a bout of sporadic coughing. It was water, she was coughing up water. She looked down at the short haired girl attached to her bosom and resisted a sigh. She still has the curse and that could only mean one thing.

'So it was all a dream?' the redhead asked herself, feeling a huge amount of relief and a twang of disappointment.

"Ranma! You're awake!" Akane yelled in relief, hugging the other girl close. "Are you feeling okay?" she leant back slightly and asked.

"Of course I am!" Noticing that Akane did a double take, Ranma added curiously. "Shouldn't I be?"

A moment of silence ensued as Akane stared at her in confusion.

"CUT!!!!" A louder, mega-phone enhanced yelled rang out. "LET'S TAKE FIVE… no, make that a wrap, it's five o-clock already. We'll try again tomorrow."

Ranma looked around and noticed for the first time where she was. She was sitting with Akane in the Tendo backyard, or rather, a perfect replica of it. Because instead of neighboring houses there was only darkness surrounding the area. The red head turned to the origin of then noise, which was a middle age man who was sitting in a sort of a lifted up seat. The sort she'd seen tennis referees sat on. He turned toward her and asked patiently, "Did you forget the line, Miss?"

"Wha? Who? Me?" Ranma sputtered, looking around to make sure he wasn't talking to someone else.

"Yes you, Megumi-chan," the man said. "Noriko-san said her lines perfectly."

"Huh?" the red head muttered in confusion. "What are you talking about? Who are Megumi and Noriko? And who the heck are you anyway?"

"Now is not the time for joke, Miss Megumi. Now, do you think you can remember the lines by tomorrow?" the man, whose patient had been worn thin practically yelled at her.

"And I'm not joking, ya Ole Geezer!" Ranma retorted testily and turned toward the shorthaired girl who was now standing beside her. "Come on Akane, let's get outta here."

But 'Akane' seemed to think differently. She all but slapped away the shorter girl's hand and glared at the red head angrily. "This isn't funny Megumi-san!"

"What's going on here?" came a gruff sounding voice from behind Ranma. She spun around and found herself face to face with… herself?

"What's wrong?" the male Ranma look-alike asked them. "Is everything okay?"

Akane seemed to brighten considerably at the newcomer's present. She practically swooned as she gushed at him. "Nothing is wrong, Kappei-kun."

"Wha?!?!" Ranma muttered in bewilderment. What the heck is going on? She splashed some water around her feet at the boy to get his attention and was stunned when he didn't change. Suddenly, she felt very uncomfortable being in her curse form right now. This was one of her major fear, one of the reason why she didn't try using the spring of drowned twin to cure herself; she didn't know what would've happen if she split into two and was the one left with female body while the other one just go his merry way.

"HOT WATER! I NEED HOT WATER NOW!!!!!" the pig tailed girl demanded.

"Really Megumi-san, don't you think your little joke has gone far enough?" the Akane look-alike groused, crossing her arm at the shorter girl. How dare she cut in on my conversation with Kappei-kun? "I thought you're supposed to be a professional."

"Come on Noriko-chan, don't be so harsh on her, this is a difficult scene for her to play after all," Kappei said in a placating tone. He turned to Ranma with winsome smile and said. "Come on there's a public bath house just around the corner, I'll take you."

Noriko froze up, her Kappei with THAT girl in public Furoba? I don't think so. She faked a smile and put a hand on Kappei's shoulder. "No Kappei-kun, I'll take her," She turned to the pigtailed girl and said. "I'm sorry Megumi-san, but it has been a stressful day for me as well. If you want, I can take you to bath house I frequent, I know you'll just love it."

Ranma nodded numbly and followed the girl out of the set. She wasn't sure what's going on but at least now Akane's not being hostile toward her like before.

--- TT ---

Author's note:

Thank you for reading. This is my first serious fanfic and I do hope I'm doing at least a decent job. If you like it, please leave a review. It's easy and simple and no, you don't even have to be constructive or insightful, a comment like, "Nice fic" will motivate anyone.

At last, but not least, a big thanks to Tread Weaver; my pre-reader whom, without his help, this fic would've been unreadable.

See you in the next chapter!

P.S. No, I've NOT given up on Truth about Wisdom. I'm working on a good ending and a new arc.

--- TT ---

Right... em... when I wrote this I've decided that "This Sky This Dream" isn't gonna be one of those fic where you have to reread each chapters like four times and do back ground research or get a psychology degree to understand it.

Yes, it has a lot of ironical and sub plot and hidden meanings but I want to make it so readers can actually enjoy it without understanding every aspect of the fic. So i've decided to keep the plot summary of each chapter at the end. If you want to read it; proceed.

…

First dream sequence is where an individual with Ranma memory is given another set of memory, a normal adult with normal childhood one. She has obviously gone insane, hence the second to last scene. We shall call her 'Ranko'.

The second plot line is the manga-Ranma but undergoing a different ending, the reason for that will be made clear at the end of the fic. Yes, it is a plot device. The way other Ranma casts acts and think is not a plot hole.

"If they're figment of Megumi's imagination then why can they have thoughts and feeling?" You ask

Well it's to give insight into Megumi's mind and what she thought of each of the individual in Ranma's cast and it reflects how she think THEY thinks. Yes, this will be touch on and IS a plot device in later chapters.

The wedding is shown being viewed by Ranko and Megumi because Ranko is, in a sense, given the choice to pick a good ending for her dream, hence the reference to lucid dreaming by Ranma later on. The confrontation scene between Megumi and the insane 'Ranko' fore-shadows what happens the Nerimans later on.

Canon-Ranma's killing of Ranko is also a symbolism. It's a more dramatic rendition of Ranma's curing himself and getting rid of his female side and the magic that goes along with it. Again, this will become important as it signifies the ending of the dream and, in a sense, the madness of Ranma's life and accepting reality. Thus, journey to the real world.

At the end of the chapter, Ranma is obviously thrust into the body of Megumi, the actress who play Ranma-onna.


	2. Chapter 2: Emerald

--- TT ---

'This Sky This Dream.' by Krimzonrayne no Akai Kou Hana.

Chapter Two: Emerald; the cherished jade that's full of memories.

Standard disclaimer applies to all pre existing characters, the song is mine though. Well, the first one anyway, the one at the end of the chapter is the 3rd season opening theme. Megumi Hayashibara and other voice actors/actresses mentioned are people in their own right and I do not, in any way, own any of them. They name are used here without consent but for non-monetary purposes.

Read the end of previous chapter for a summary of what happened before.

Note that the irregular and seemingly incorrect usage of commas and colons are intentional. They are done specifically to convey specific meanings (i.e. to understand, pause at every comma when reading like you should!) please do not regard them as grammatical mistake.

--- TT ---

She was drifting, drifting amongst the nothingness. She, Ranma; the girl, a girl.

'Where am I?' The thought echoed inside her head. Her. Head.

"Ranma," someone called out to her. That voice, she couldn't quite place it but it seems so familiar. So very familiar…

"RA-N MA"

It came again, louder this time. And the tone- so irritating, so infuriating, so… so… uncute.

'Uncute.' The word stuck in her mind like a cool scar; the one that won't go away, simply because you never wanted it to go away in the first place. 'Why uncute? Out of all the words, why this one?'

"Because you're too stupid to think up a better insult, you Baka," the figure answered for her; the line of a smile being the only visible aspect of the silhouette.

"Akane?" the red head mumbled, the word didn't come easily for her and within moments it was gone. But the thought and the memories associated with the word, however, remained. "But you're…"

"Dead?" the other girl finished the sentence for her. "Yeah I know. You killed me good, completely fatal! Death by severe hemorrhaging from multiple lacerations, I believe they called it," she chirped, showing off her bloodied and torn body without any sign of discomfort.

Ranma turned white.

"B… But it wasn't me," she stuttered, backing away from the shorthaired girl. "It was…"

"It was what, your cursed form?" Akane cut her off. "You can't hide behind that stupid mask anymore, Ranma," she said while splashing with hot water from a kettle she whipped out from thin air.

Ranma gasped. She didn't change back.

"This is you now," Akane said as she approached the quivering girl. She took hold of the girl's shaking hands and brought it up; showing it to her. They were covered with some dark red substance.

"Blood, Ranma," Akane supplied helpfully, scooping up the stuff with her hand and rubbing it between two fingers; playing with it. "The color of guilt; thicker than water, as heavy as sin and practically impossible to wash off. Even with hot water."

The girl, yes the girl, stared at her dripping hands, yes dripping hands, cringing at every nuances of every words. Cringing and cringing… until she couldn't take it anymore.

"ARHHHHHHHHH"

…Until she couldn't take it anymore

"ARHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

--- TT ---

Nothing…

Well no… not exactly nothing… a white ceiling. A white ceiling and a white room.

"Where am I?" Ranma asked the white ceiling which, by the way, didn't so much as to even mutter a 'sorry, I don't know.' It promptly ignored her.

"Where am I?" the girl repeated hopefully, she was sure it would answer this time. Japanese people are polite like that aren't they?

…

Aren't they? No, apparently they aren't. Mr. Ceiling didn't utter a word of response the whole time she laid there, looking pleadingly at him.

Ranma pouted, she decided that she didn't like Mr. Ceiling all that much after all.

In fact, she kind of thought he was mean. 'Meanie!' She wanted to shout but something stopped her; this tingling in the back of her neck.

Click! 

Ranma closed her eyes and lowered her heartbeat right down; pretending to be asleep. How did she do it you ask? Well… that's a secret! She giggled at that, mentally of course, after all it wouldn't do for THEM to realize she was faking being asleep. They might do something rotten to her, like… like… take away the TV or something!

That would be bad, REALLY bad.

Tap Tap Tap 

'Sounds of foot steps' She thought.

"How is she, Doctor?" a female voice said from somewhere close to her.

"She's stable right now but we're keeping her sedated just in case," another voice, male one this time, answered. "You said she was in hysteria just before she fainted, could you tell me more about what happened?"

"Well, Megumi-san and I were visiting the Yakon Bathhouse. You see, it had been a stressful day for her and we decided that some time in the hot water would be great," The voice, Akane's voice, Ranma was sure of it, said. "Well you know how you're supposed to wash first right? Well Megumi didn't, she jumped straight in."

"And she started screaming?" the doctor asked incredulously. "From coming in contact with hot water?"

"No, not exactly. You see, Megumi-san had a red paint-on dye for the character she played. Some of it that was in her pig tail runs when she hit the water and when she saw it she…"

"Panicked and started screaming…"

"Yeah, I tried to calm her down but when she saw me she had this look in her eyes…"

"That was when she fainted, correct?"

"Yes," Akane confirmed solemnly. She didn't seem to have anything to add and they room was once again quiet.

"Noriko-san, do you have any idea why your co-worker would react so badly from what happened? I know some people react rather badly with anything that resembles blood but Megumi-san has no record of ever showing any sign of Haemophobia or aversion to hot water." The doctor asked hopefully, "Was there something different about her today? Has anything happened at work? Anything at all?"

"Well, there's this one thing…" Akane began slowly, as if trying to remember something. "Just before we finished for the day, we were shooting this scene where Megumi-san supposedly hit her head and drown for a minute. We were given quite a scare, because the way Megumi-san faked it, it looked very real. I think for a moment or two I actually believed she had drowned."

"But?" the doctor commented, still writing something on some kind of a pad.

"But it turned out to be nothing. She was perfectly fine. Apart from forgetting her lines, nothing was wrong. She even played this big joke on us afterward."

"Big joke? What exactly do you mean?"

"Well, you see the episode we were shooting is about her character hitting her head on a rock and suffering from having split personality. So what she did was pretends that she'd lost her memory and thought that she was Ranma, the character she plays."

"I… see…" the doctor commented absentmindedly, sounding as if he was lost in thought.

Akane seemed to have noticed something in the doctor tone because she stopped her story and let the silence shrouded the room once again. "What is it, Doctor? Do you have an idea on what's wrong with her?"

…

"I…I may have," the doctor finally said. "Tell me Miss Noriko, what do you know about the subject of 'Near Drowning'?"

"Almost none I'm afraid."

"Near drowning is the survival of a drowning event involving unconsciousness or significant water inhalation and can lead to serious secondary complications, including death, after the event. Cases of near drowning therefore also require attention by medical professionals." At this point the doctor paused, seemingly to consider whether he should share his hypothesis or not. "Now, not many people know this, but one of these complications, or more precisely, one of the underlying symptoms is amnesia …and acute schizophrenia or other psychosis."

"Doctor… Schizophrenia is…" Akane started to say. She was sure she heard him right but Megumi couldn't possibly be suffering from that, right?

"Yes, I'm afraid so," the doctor said gravely. "You see, because Miss Megumi was admitted due to losing consciousness near water, we immediately search for any sign of ventricular fibrillation or drowning. We did find something but and wasn't critical and it didn't exactly explain hysterical neurosis; the symptom she was originally admitted for."

"But the peculiar thing was the trace amount of water we found in her lung didn't contain any sulfur deposits like we'd expected from a patient drowned in hot springs or bath houses. All she had was your average, distilled, normal fresh water."

"Doctor… you're not saying…"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I believe Miss Megumi is suffering from an alternate personality created when she lost her own memory from the lack of oxygen her brain suffers when she drowned."

By now Ranma was finding it hard to keep still, what the heck are they talking about? I'm not this Megumi person!

"Doctor! This sound like something from a movie or a drama script or… or…" Akane stuttered, lost for word. "Or something from our show!"

"Regardless, THIS explains all her symptoms plus how she reacted with being splashed with hot water." The doctor said. "Because if I remember correctly, the character she plays turns into a boy with hot water didn't she? The traumatic shock and the hysterical behavior would be understandable considering the circumstances. After all if you were to be stuck as a female I would be similarly terrorized as well."

"But Doctor! You're saying that she," Akane paused, "Takahashibara Megumi; the famous actress has lost her memory and now she believes herself to be Ranma, the male character she plays? A sex-changing Kung Fu fighter with chaotic life and multiple fiancées from a comic book?"

"Like I've said before," the doctor said with a sigh, "the story fits. Also hundreds of people the world over believe themselves to be superman or some such superhero, it would make more sense that, in such circumstances, Megumi-san would believe herself to be the character she plays."

…

"What do we do now? What kind of treatments exists for something like this?" Akane asked after much consternation. She sounded upset but not exactly as upset as Ranma expected her to be. In fact she sounded slightly… intrigued?

"Well, like other mental illness, I'm afraid there's very little we can do," The doctor answered grimly. "Of course, if there was any treatment I still would've suggested we do nothing for now. The brain is still very much a mystery to modern science, and I remain hopeful that this may go away in time."

Beep! 

There was sound of a brief shuffling of cloth, almost as if someone was searching for something in the pocket of his/her pants.

Click! 

"It seems Miss Hayashibara has another visitor. Let's go greet her shall we?" the doctor said to Akane.

Tap Tap Tap 

'…' Ranma held her breath, waiting for the inevitable 'click' of the door.

Click! 

The girl let out a huge sigh and tried to sit up only to find herself restrained by to leather straps that bound her arms to each side of the bed. Ranma giggled slightly, something about leather straps and someone name Daisuke …or was it Hiroshi? Anyway, something was definitely funny about it. And a whip too… something to do with a whip and leather straps and Hirosuke? No wait, that's not right… What was it?

Ranma shook her head violently from side to side, trying to banish the darn fog that was clouding her thoughts. 'Wait, didn't that doctor say something about keeping me sedated?'

The girl lowered her head and. Loo and Behold!, there it was on her arm, that… that… staby thingie… with the water-thingie that does into her body.

"Ke… Ketazolam?" Ranma squinted her eyes trying to read the label on the IV drop, darn it why is everything so hazy? "Anxiolytic Benzodiazepine?!?! What the heck are they doing to me?" She yelled, or at least she wanted to yell, but all that came out a calm and slurred speech… why was she so darn calm?

"Screw this, I'm outta here," the girl said out loud and pulled the needle from her forearm while gritting her teeth. To her surprise, she didn't feel any pain. The girl gave a shrug and put the thought to the back of her mind, she had more important matters to deal with.

Ranma crept to the door and eased it open silently. Fortunately there was no one out in the corridor and she was able to leave the room unnoticed. As she made her way down the white linoleum tiled corridor, the instinctive survival part of her brain kicked in and she began taking notice of her surrounding. This place, whatever it is, is really really clean and it smelt kind of different too.

"Miss Hayashibara's room is this way, Takayama-san."

Ranma froze, that sounded like it came from just around corner. She looked down and saw her attire; a slip-on white overall, a hospital's patient dress. 'This is not good.' She thought, looking left and right for a place to hide. Finding none, she spun around and prepared to sprint down the hall way and suddenly stopped.

There was a door that's opposite to the room she was it before. She walked up to and snuck inside and closed the door silently. She leant against it and held her breath as she listened to the footsteps that past her by.

Phew, was that close or what?

_"What do you think you're doing, Ranma!" _

"Eep!" the girl exclaimed as she whipped around. Her mouth formed an automated excuse, a skilled that was vital to her survival, and was prepared to give it when she was beaten to the punch by…

_"You don't understand, Akane. I swear it's not what it looks like!" _

…herself?, Ranma finished the thought dumbly as she turned around. Her hideout wasn't as empty as she first thought. As the matter of fact it was occupied by two individuals; one is a boy who was sitting up on the bed and another was an elderly lady sitting by his side.

They were both switching between staring at her and looking at the television opposite to the bed.

The television that was showing her being hugged by a lavender haired girl as well as making a warding gesture at the bench-wielding Akane Tendo.

A momentary silent occurred and was subsequently broken by a shrill cry from the boy.

"RANMA!!!"

Ranma only had the time to give an eek before she was promptly tackled to the floor by a hyperventilating young boy. 'Darn it, I can't believe the strength of these little arms, and he's supposed to be sick!' The girl thought.

"See, Grandma! I told you he's real!" The boy turned to the elderly lady and exclaimed happily to her. She, the elderly lady, smiled at them and waited until the boy turned around to face Ranma before giving the girl a secretive wink.

"Can I have your autograph, Ranma?" the boy asked hopefully.

"Eh, sure I guess," Ranma said apprehensively. "But I don't see why you'd want it though."

"You're so modest dear. Hirosuke tells me you're the greatest martial artist in the world and that you his idol," The boy's grandmother said as she walked to the pair and gave Ranma a piece of paper and a pen. "Isn't that right, Hiro-chan?"

"Of cause he is! And when I grow up, I'm going to be just like him!" The boy proclaimed, hugging the girl firmly one more time.

"eh… right!" Ranma managed to say as she extracts herself from the boy's grasp and scribbled her name on the paper the lady gave him.

"Yay!" The boy, Hirosuke; Ranma reminded herself, yelled happily once again. "Look Grandma, I got Ranma-san's autograph!" The boy said waving the piece of paper about, showing it off to his grandmother before running off to the edge of the bed where he sat down and watched his favorite TV show.

"Don't sit too close to the TV Hiro-chan, you will give yourself a poor eye sight," the grandma called out to her grand child who promptly scurried up the bed and away from the screen.

Ranma spared the kid a second glance before turning her attention to the show that he was watching so avidly.

_"How could I possibly misunderstand? You were missing for the whole day and I found you like this!" Akane shouted angrily, stomping toward the cringing pig tailed boy. "You cheating JERK!" She punctuates her last comment with massive kick that launches him to an impossible height where he disappeared amongst the cloud. _

'Wow! I didn't know she was that strong.' The redhead thought to herself. 'It looks so unreal from this side.'

She suddenly shook her head. 'What the heck am I thinking? Some sicko has obviously been filming my life. They must've been telling people that I'm some kinda actress. And Akane… she's been brainwashed! Just like before! Yeah, that's it and the other me… that's …that's…'

"I see that you signed your name as 'Saotome Ranma', Hayashibara-san," came a whisper from beside her.

"Eep" Ranma gasped, putting her two hands over her mouth to stifle her cried of surprise. 'Darn it! She's right, I forgot about that!'

"Thank you dear, for maintaining the illusions for him."

"Huh?" Ranma muttered in confusion as she turned around. Beside her was Hirosuke's grandmother and she held a small smile on her face. The pigtailed girl wanted to ask what she meant but the older woman turned away. Ranma followed her gaze and realized that she was starring at her grandchild.

"Did you know that Hirosuke always believed you were real? And his parents always encouraged it. They would always nod and play along when he described to them what adventures 'Ranma' had for the day. Hiroshi, that's my son by the way, always bringing him these yellow striped bandanas; asking him whether he knew who dropped it. That he found it in the oddest of places. And on and on, they kept building the illusion," she said quietly. "And you know what? I've never liked it. I wanted them of tell him the truth. I felt that he needs to grow up and face the harsh reality that life is."

"And it wasn't until today when you came through the door that I've realized why they did it." The old woman turned to Ranma with a wistful look in her eyes. "I know we must all grow up someday but that doesn't mean we must give up our dreams. That we don't have to forget our imaginary friends or our childhood fantasies no matter how silly they were, because there's nothing wrong about it…

…because it doesn't hurt to have a dream or to believe in miracles."

Ranma could only nod.

"You know, Hirosuke was diagnosed as having leukemia; the doctor said he only has a few months to live." The elderly lady turned back to the boy who was still oblivious to their conversation. "Well, it has been three months and he's still as alive as ever."

"Before I thought it was just the gods being cruel; delaying the inevitable just for the sake of it. But you, Megumi-san…" The woman turned back to the girl and gave her a warm smile. "You give me great hopes for Hirosuke."

"I didn't know what to expect when you walked through the door after Hiro-chan said that if 'Ranma' really exist then he would be here; but I thank you, Megumi-san."

"Just out of curiosity dear, why are you here anyway?"

"I'm hiding from my fiancée, Granny," Ranma said truthfully. The older woman chuckled humorously at that.

The girl looked down; she couldn't think of anything else to say and if she could, she didn't think she could bring herself to say it. 'So what if there really isn't a Megumi-san, if this lady believes it and it helps then there's no need to tell her the truth right? I'll just play along and…'

Tap Tap Tap Tap 

Sounds of loud footsteps came from outside, cutting Ranma's train of thought short. She turned to the lady sitting beside her and said apologetically. "That's my queue. I'm sorry for barging in on you guys like that; I guess I'll be going now, thank you for everything."

The girl briskly paced to the door and was about to open it when someone knocked on it from the other side. She quickly stepped behind the door just as it was opened seconds later.

"Excuse me, Mam. Have you seen a young lady? She has red hair, a petite figure and one wearing one of patient's white overall," the slightly panic stricken voice said from the other side of one inch thick wooden door Ranma was hiding behind. She held her breath as she waited for her inevitable capture.

…

"No, I'm sorry. I'm afraid we haven't had any visitors since yesterday," Hirosuke's grandmother lied. "Why are you asking about her, dear? Had she escaped from somewhere? Is she dangerous?"

"Eh, not all Ma'am. Please don't be alarmed," the young man, the girl assumed from his voice, replied nervously. "She's simply one of our patients who woke up and wondered off; probably because she's disorientated from her long sleep. I'm sure we'll find her."

"Oh dear, that poor thing; waking up all along in a place she'd never been before. You better find her right away."

"Right Ma'am, I better get going. Thank you for everything," the young man chimed before leaving, closing the door quietly behind him.

…

Ranma stood still; she was sure what just happened but…

"You better let out that breath you've been holding, dear. I don't think green suits you all that well."

The startled redhead let out an explosive lungful of air and collapsed to the floor. She was hyperventilating.

"I don't know much about celebrities and such," the old lady shook her head in resignation. "But I swear; you girls are really taking these publicity stunts too far."

"…publicity stunts… yea, that's it…" the girl said between huge gulps of air. She finally had enough and was breathing normally again. "Em, I better go. Again, thank you for everything."

Ranma stood up and walked over to the balcony. She opened it and stepped outside, waving goodbyes to the ailing boy as she did so. Turning to around she glanced at the adjacent balcony once before jumping onto the railing and hopped over to it. Except she must've misjudged the distance or something; because her leap was short, and she started falling even before she reach the halfway point.

Panicked, Ranma threw out her arms and took hold of the edge of the balcony. She held on, barely, and the jarring halt felt like it had pulled her arms out of its sockets.

'What the hell is going on? I used to make hops like that in my sleep.'

The redhead gritted her teeth as she pulled herself up and over the railing. She stood up and bit the bottom of her lip to prevent the forthcoming cries of pain; that had hurt, badly. She turned around and found that the boy, Hirosuke, had followed her out to the balcony. He had a look of expectancy on his face.

Ranma feint a smile and waved to him; she had to pretend it didn't hurt, so she can keep up the illusion of the invincible 'Saotome Ranma' and its allusion of miracles alive for him.

The red head turned away from the boy and approached the other side of the balcony. There were two more jumps to the fire exit. She took a deep breath and jumped onto the railing. She balanced on the metal precariously, taking more time than the first jump to ready herself for the leapt. She mentally heaved and pushed off with all her might.

She barely made it to over to the other railing.

She landed on her two feet and quickly hopped down to the balcony, too nervous to stay up there for more than necessary. 'Yes, I made it. Just one more balcony to the fire exit and I'm home free,' Ranma told herself; trying to focus on the success, and trying to ignore the fact that she used to make 30 foot leaps, pushing off like she just did.

Ranma steadied her nerves and walked over to the other side of the balcony. As she approached the railing she began to notice that there were people sitting the room by the balcony. And they were staring at her.

The girl placed one foot onto the metal railing and stepped up, more apprehensively this time. She looked on ahead, trying not to be self-conscious, but failing terribly. She swung her arms back to gain the momentum she needed and pushed with her feet.

That was when someone screamed; causing her to lose balance and she toppled over the edge…

…And down the side of the building.

--- TT ---

I was filled to the abundance with happiness,

Floating blissfully amongst the cloud…

I was content for what to come and expected no less,

Walking down the street; living for here and now.

I was all but invincible, for the lack of a better word,

Living in a dream world I made for myself.

I was a living legend or haven't you heard,

My exploits filled the books on your shelf.

Then, I had been all that I want to be…

Then, I had been all that I want to be…

But…

I'm older now, and we know that all too well,

You watch out for me because we know you need to.

I'm tired of carrying this world on my shoulder, couldn't you tell?

Weaker than I've ever been, didn't you know?

My wings were stripped away, inch by inch,

I'm earth bound, for the first time since my youth.

I'm dying now, I've known that ever since,

I've been staring into you; looking for the truth…

But…

You will catch me right?

Every time that I fall…

You will be here right?

To help me up again…

But if you can't,

You will remember me right?

Because that's all I need…

Because that's all that I need…

Because that's all that I need…

"All that I need," by Krimzonrayne no Akai Kou Hana (Piano duet E flat or Piano solo, E flat)

--- TT ---

"Takayama-san."

…

"Takayama-san!"

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry I was thinking about something," the woman with short brown excused herself to the young man that had interrupted her reverie. She stood up and forced her to remain even. "How is Megumi? Where is she and why can't I see her right now?"

"Please calm down, Takayama-san." the man in blue hospital trainee's outfit said, putting his hands up in a placating manner as he did so. "There had been a little complication and Hayashibara-san is recovering right now. There's nothing to worry about, but the doctor does advise against having any visitors as her body is very susceptible to diseases right now."

"I…" Minami Takayam paused. "I understand. Thank you for your time, I'll be leaving now."

The young lady turned on her heel and began walking away from the man. Her high heel making a loud tapping sound every time it came in contact with the white linoleum floor below her feet, drowning out the worrying questions she kept throwing at herself in her mind.

Minami left the hospital and made her way around the building to where her car was parked. Standing in front of her automobile, she opened up her purse and was looking through it for her car key. "I knew it was a mistake; coming here to visit her like this. She had always been the one who can look after herself. I should've known this would've happened." The brown haired woman muttered as she pulled the key chain out from her purse, having finally found the darn thing. "What a waste of time."

She opened the door to the driver seat and stepped into the car.

"ARHHHHHH"

The girl froze; that scream sounded like it came from directly above her.

--- TT ---

_ Embrace the nothingness. _

_Embrace the nothingness; then, and only then, can you see the truth. The truth that; there's no such a thing as nothingness at all. That you will always have with you; that warm southerly breeze and that up drift of the hot summer air. _

_But the most important thing, Ranma is your wits. That's what you'll always have with you. That's all you need… to fly! _

'Embrace the nothingness; that was the first lesson you've taught me, father.' The thought echoed through Ranma's mind as she sailed… no soared through the air.

'I've learned it well…'

Ranma's eyes snapped opened.

'And I've kept my wits about me.'

She spread her arms and legs wide apart, feeling the spring's strong westerly pushing up against her body, fluttering the white overall she was wearing. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated.

'And I'll fly.'

Ranma curled up into a ball and spun on her axis. She was focused, she was confident and she was using every single trick her father taught her about mid air combat.

But all her efforts yielded her nothing… and she fell short of balcony she was aiming for; the one below the floor she'd fell from.

"Why?" The red head asked softly; reaching out to the balcony as she fell passed it. "Why have you abandoned me?

If this was before, she would've just landed without giving it a second thought but… if she couldn't even hop balconies, could she survive the three stories fall?

…

She hit the ground with a resounding smack. It was her battle-honed reflex that saved her from receiving worse injury; but she had not, by any means, come out unscathed from the fall. She lifted up her head and cried to the sky, succumbing to the emerald whirlwind that surrounded her. She was a visage of a fallen angel; one that has fallen from her grace, her immortality.

And as the blissful darkness enveloped her; one question remained, lingering tantalizingly on the back of her mind and trapped, half spoken through her lips.

'Why? Why couldn't I fly?'

…

'Was what they said the truth? Am I just an actress? Was everything I've accomplished just one big lie?

…

"Megumi? MEGUMI?!?!"

A rustle of clothing and repetitive tapping of a pair of stilettos, and she was enveloped once again; this time, in a warm embrace of a worried woman's arms. She shook Ranma gently, muttering something the red head couldn't make out.

The girl commanded her eyelids to open. They did, and if only for a brief moment, Ranma was rewarded with a hazy vision of a familiar dark brown hair and a worriedly look that seemed completely misplaced on the 'Ice Queen's' face.

Ranma could see the girl's mouth that was moving slowly, silently; visibly forming words that the red head should've been able to hear. Dismissing the possibility of muteness, it has to be jostling of her inner ears from the impact, the girl tried desperately to read her assistant's lips.

'What happened to you, Megumi? Are you alright?' she seemed to say. She looked left and right, shouting soundless as she did so. 'Somebody get a doctor. Help!'

No, Ranma tried to say, but nothing came out. Her eyes began to flutter, trying to close on their own accord. The injured girl bit her lips; she couldn't faint, not now!

'Stay still, Megumi. I'll go get help,' the other girl mouthed to her.

"No… wait…" Ranma managed to croak. Her voice was dry and raspy and it was painful for her to say anything. "Was everything a lie?"

"What are you talking about, Megumi? You're injured. Please, just stay here I'll be right back."

"Nerima… the curse… Akane… everything… was it all a lie? Was it all just… a TV show? Who am I? Please tell me Nabiki, I need to know."

"You're Hayashibara Megumi, a famous actress who plays Onna-ranma in 'Ranma Nichiban no ichi' a famous TV series and… my dear, dear friend," the young woman answered her as she coerced the girl into lying back down, no great feat considering how weak she was at the time. "Now please lie still, you're delirious."

Minami stood up and started running back around the building. She shot a concerned glance back to her friend who was still on the ground where she'd left her.

'I'll be right back with help, Megumi. Please be alright.' she silently prayed as she ran.

Unbeknownst to her, 'Megumi' was far from all right and she wasn't going to wait for help. As soon as 'Nabiki' the friend she never knew was out of sight, Ranma got up and made her way over to the red sedan, the only car with its door left wide opened.

The red head leant panting against the driver seat as she searched through the glove compartment. Her body was racked with pain from trudging over here with her injuries, she even had to pop her dislocated joints back into place… but she wouldn't give up. She couldn't give up.

'Yatta' Ranma gave a silent cry, trusting the paper she had been searching into the air. At the bottom it read;

_…that's the basic character summary, Takayama-san. If you have any question please don't hesitate to give me a call, or you can visit me at Floor 17, Suntory Building in Shibuya. _

_Kind regards, Takahashi Rumiko. _

Ranma changed into the gym gear she'd found in the back of Minami's car, wincing in pain every few seconds while she was doing it. She folded the letter in half and slipped into her pants pocket.

"Megumi Hayashibara or Ranma Saotome… I will have to hear it for myself…" She muttered as she slowly walked away from the red car. "…I have to hear from my creator's mouth."

--- TT ---

"BAKA!" Minami yelled, punching the steering wheel out of frustration. The horn blared loudly, causing the people in the cars around her to turn and stare. The shorthaired woman gave them a wave in term of an apology, but to be honest she was too angry to care at the moment.

"One minute; I left her alone for one minute and she's disappeared. Poof, gone!"

In truth it was more like a couple of minutes, but not being petty, that's what happened earlier. By the time she was back with two stretcher-bearing male nurses and a doctor, her injured friend had disappeared. It wasn't until she'd came back to her car and realized that some stuff had been taken from it did she have any inking for where Megumi might've gone.

It was now, as she was speeding down the high way, that the words Megumi's doctor said came back to haunt her.

_"Hayashibara-san is under the influence of a sedative. She also may be suffering from alternate personality syndrome and may believe she's Ranma Saotome; the character she plays in a TV series… _

'Damn it, I should've realize something was wrong when she called me Nabiki. I was so stupid I…'

Minami slammed her foot down onto the brake; turning suddenly to stop herself from hitting the car in front of her. She ignored the tooting from the said car's frightened and enraged driver and pressed her foot down on the accelerator once again. She was in a hurry and no stupid road hog was going to slow her down.

'Damn it, damn it, damn it. If something is wrong with her, I'll never forgive myself.'

The little sedan ran the red light. She didn't even notice.

'Never.'

--- TT ---

"Ranma!" A deep bellowing voice called out. "Where are you slacking off to again?"

Ranma blinked, stood up and looked around. She was lying on a park bench somewhere. She glanced over to where she thought the shout came from and found a middle age man in a dirty gi searching around for something, or rather, someone.

She grinned happily and ran to him. She hit him in the head to get his attention, smiling good naturedly as she did so. "I wasn't slack off, Old man. I was practicing on the other side of the park."

Genma blinked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about young lady? Why would I care what you've been doing?"

The red head stared back at him.

"What are you talking about? I'm Ranma, your son."

He looked her up and down and started laughing.

"…this isn't funny old man; I'm your son and you know it."

"Again, you keep saying you're my son. But how can that be when you're clearly a girl," he said in an amused tone. "Nice joke, young lady. Now run along, I'm busy looking for my son."

Ranma clenched her teeth in anger; that's it! She had enough.

"Oh she's a feisty one," Genma commented teasingly as he blocked the kick she sent his way. The girl grated her teeth together; darn it, when did he get so good. She tried again and fell onto her butt as she lost balance when he moved out of the way.

"Ow!" She whimpered; touching her hand gingerly. She must've used it to brace herself when she fell. It seemed like it was sprained and was painful to touch. Tears brimmed in her eyes from the hurt.

"Oh don't cry. Little girls like you shouldn't have been pretending to be a martial artist in the first place," Genma said turning around and began walking away. "You silly girls are all the same; weak, useless, cry-babies."

"No, wait! Don't go!" Ranma cried out. She tried to get up and follow him but he was already gone. "Please don't go." In haste; she shifted her weight onto her injured arm by accident and was blinded by the pain…

Ting! Ting! 

The pain…

Ting! Ting! 

That was the first thing she felt. It was what had woken her in the first place; the piercing sensation that courses through her with every jolts and bumps. After thirty years, Japan's rail service is one of the best in the world but in the end a train ride is a train ride.

Ting! Ting! 

'What a stupid dream.' Ranma gritted her teeth and crossed her arms in front of her, hugging herself to keep warm. 'Maybe I should've brought something more substantial than a jumpsuit.' She thought as her body shook from the pain and the cold. The train began to slow down and the PR system came alive.

_Shibuya, the next station is Shibuya Station. Passengers traveling to Ueno, Akihabara and Harajuku should change here for the Yamanote line. _

The red head slowly got up, it was a long and torturous process and she had to lean against the pole and use the handrail to do it but she did it. She pushed herself on; she managed to come this far she would not give up now.

She could not give up now.

_ This is Shibuya Station. Passengers exiting please do so from the left side of the train. Thank you for traveling with Japan Rail, we wish you a pleasant day. _

'…a pleasant day?' Ranma thought as she stepped off the train. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or to cry at the irony of it all. The girl left the station quickly; she didn't want to be recognized by someone this 'Megumi' knew. She made it outside fine but the effort of running while injured began to take its toll on her. And as she leant panting against a shop's window, she began to realize that she couldn't keep this up for much longer.

Fortunately for her, the Suntori building was right next to the station. She sighed in relief, having just realized how lucky she was. She had no idea where Suntori building was and the thought of searching Shibuya for it in her condition was extremely daunting. She entered the building and dragged herself into an elevator. The thought of taking the stairs as part of training never came to her.

'Seventeen, Suntori Building, Shibuya.' Ranma recalled, pushing the floor number weakly. The door closed slowly, enclosing her onto herself, there, by all her lonesome.

The thought felt strange to her, oddly comforting. But does she welcome the safety or loneliness? Would she ever know?

…

…

The red head leant against one of the walls. She was tired, a little sleep couldn't hurt.

dink! 

Her eyes flickered opened. She looked up; the number indicated that it wasn't seventeen yet. She pulled away from the wall and tried to stand straight. The door opened.

There was a handsome and slightly rugged young man standing on the other side. He had an afro and was sporting a winsome smile that put her at ease. But it didn't last. And as he stepped into the elevator, Ranma began to feel uncomfortable with the close proximity she had to be with the man.

The door closed.

…

…

The girl still felt tired but she could not bring herself to relax with someone …male… so close to her.

…

dink! 

The door opened.

--- TT ---

Ranma left the elevator, walking slowly so her injuries won't be so obvious. She approached the receptionist's desk and was greeted before she had the chance to say something.

"Hello Megumi-san, how can I help you today?" The young receptionist asked, obviously familiar with the red head.

"…em. Can I speak with Takashi-san please?" The girl said, remembering the name on the piece of paper that was sitting in her pants' pocket.

"Em… sure. Takahashi-san out right now but I'll give her a call to see when she'll be back." The receptionist said, picking up the phone beside her and started dialing it. 'I wonder what's up with her, she always been so friendly and informal with Rumiko-sensei,' the girl wondered.

…

"Em, Megumi-san?" She called out to the red head, why was she leaving the dye on like that anyway? Does she like having hair with that bright a shade? "Takahashi-san said she's coming back right now and will probably be here in about ten minutes. Em, you can wait in her office if you like."

"Right, thank you. Can you show me the way?"

"…of course. It's right this way," the girl said standing up and began leading the way. 'Why did she need me to show her the way? She was just here yesterday and the day before,' she thought as she opened the door for Ranma.

"Thank you," the redheaded girl said as she walked into the room where she was greeted with a sight she was sure there's no word with which to describe it. Actual size portraits of her and a few of her friends and rivals took up the majority of the wall space. The pictures contained less detail and seemed almost flamboyant in nature; as if they were cartoon characters…

…as if they were comic book characters.

Ranma fell onto one of the sofas, shocked by the truth that was being presented to her. Her hand, thrown about haphazardly, came to rest upon a stack of books. Comic books.

The girl picked one of them up slowly, not sure whether she was ready to see what lies inside. She brought it to the front her face and looked the cover page. Its title read;

_Ranma, One over Two: Issue Twelve. _

She gradually turned the page over, unable to stop herself. She needed to see.

…

The book fell from her nerveless fingers and clattered as it hit the floor.

'It's true. Oh God, it's true.'

She left the convivial office soundlessly; she didn't want to face Takahashi-san, not now. Not after seeing what she'd just seen. She did not truly comprehend the meaning of 'facing her creator' when she said it earlier in the car park.

How do you face someone who is not only your God but yourself as well? How do you face someone who controlled every aspect of your life but was the one who was making your decisions as well; someone who was, for all intents and purposes, you?

Ranma left the same way she came in; down the elevator and out the main entrance. She was lost in thought, much like the first time. But, unlike the first time, her thoughts were altered, changed drastically by the momentous event that had just occurred.

At least she could cry now, that's one good thing that came out of all of this. She's a girl now right? A good for nothing lousy actress; the most girly type of girl out of them all, the most useless.

Now, she could cry if she wanted to right? She could…

Her thought was interrupted but as she walked into someone.

"Ops, I'm sorry, Miss. I was in a hurry and didn't watch where I was going." A tallish man in a business suit apologized after bumping into her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm… I'm fine." Ranma lied through her teeth as her body was wrought with pain. She didn't need pity; especially from the likes of him. She knew these kinds of jerks well. They fake sincerity of get pretty girls interested in them.

'I won't fall for it; I not that type of girl!' The girl thought indignantly then, a split second later, realized what she just did. 'I just thought of myself as a girl…'

Her face turned pale white; a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the man.

He frowned; some girls are just too darn independent for their own good. She was obviously not fine. "Are you sure Miss, you seem awfully pale," he asked sincerely, putting his arms on her shoulders to help study her.

"Piss off ya creep," Ranma rebuffed, batting the gentleman's hands away angrily. How dare he; copping a feel in such public place like this. But wait, a thought occurred to the girl, if he's so daring maybe he'd the type who stalks girls and get them in secluded place and…

She looked around; they were in a side street, one that wasn't that much bigger than an alley. It was very secluded. The red head looked up and saw that the man had an angry look on his face.

'What am I going to do I'm just a weak useless girl now.' She thought anxiously; the flame of fear and doubt burned within her for the first time since Jusendo.

"Why you…" The man muttered angrily, here he was trying to be helpful, and some darn girl just had to think of him as a pervert. "Darn it," he said under his breath in frustration.

Somehow, Ranma have heard him and in her current state of mind, those words did nothing to calm her down.

Her eyes widen as the few remnants of Ranma Saotome that were left within her disintegrated; stripped away and replaced with the vulnerability that life is.

She pushed him away and ran.

And ran…

And ran…

--- TT ---

It was raining now.

The soft pattering droplets of freezing water felt… calming on her back. She could hardly feel the pain now, everything just felt numb. She just felt… nothing. She knew it wasn't healthy but the numbness is good. The numbness meant she could keep going without the pain slowing her down.

It meant she could keep running.

"Megumi stop!"

…

A red sedan pulled to a stop in front of her. "Megumi STOP!" the yell came again, this time Ranma could see that it came from a young woman leaning out of her car window. She had wet short brown hair that was pasted to her worried face; probably from running around searching for someone in the rain. She got out off the car and walked toward her.

The catatonic girl blinked repeatedly as she came out from her trance. She didn't slow down and ran up to hug the girl in a motion that would make a football player proud.

"Nabiki it was true… my life, the art, Akane, everything… it was all a lie," Ranma said, sobbing against the taller girl where they were sitting against Minami's car's door. The brown haired girl patted the girl's red mane slowly; she didn't know what else to do. This girl is so different from the Megumi she'd remember.

"All the … things we've done … all our … adventures to … together…" the girl said between the hiccups, tears now falling freeing from her eyes. Suddenly she had an epiphany. Her deep blue eyes widen with trepidation as she pulled away from the other girl's embrace. "Wait!"

"Y… You're not N… Nabiki… She wasn't real either." Ranma looked away, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. She used her hands, two dainty, girly hands to wipe the tears from her eye and tried to compose herself, but the flushed, tear stained cheeks gave her away. "What do you want with me?"

"I just want to make sure you're okay. You're my friend, Ranma." Minami tried to put her arms back around the shorter but more bosomed girl.

"No, I'm not your friend Megu..." Ranma stopped, realizing what the girl who looked like Nabiki said. "Wait you called me Ranma…." Her eyes widened momentarily before they narrowed down, forming two slits.

"N… No I… I don't believe you! You're just saying that to make me feel better," Ranma retorted angrily and tried to shrug the other girl's arms off. But due to the fact that she was weaken and that a part of her didn't want the warm and comforting feeling to go away, her effort was futile.

"Is that so bad?" Minami asked softly after the girl had stopped struggling. "What is so wrong about taking pleasure in being cared for? Megumi or Ranma, I would gladly help you."

"Y… You're just like the rest of them… you want something from me don'tcha?" the red head commented, trying to sound angry but coming out as mild irritation.

"Yes… I want you to go to sleep."

"Oh you, you…" The teased girl made a tiny fist with her hand and shook it at Minami who laughed as the sleep-slurred tone only made her voice even more harmless and innocent than it usually is. "I'm… I'm so mad…"

And for the first time in a long while, Ranma was relaxed and happy as the blissful sleep claimed her. Although for some it would seem ironic that she would do so there; in the arms of a stranger and amidst the falling rain rather than a comfortable bed, for Ranma she could not care less.

She really couldn't.

--- TT ---

Ranma smiled. She remembered dreaming of the oddest thing, falling asleep amongst the rain. She yawned soundless before her mouth settled down, leaving only a slightest trace of smile that would be forever treasured by everyone around her.

_Shigyou beru Kinishinagara, kakete kuru kurasumeito _

_koe kakeru no nee "Ohayou!" _

The warm breeze snuck through the small gap in the window, teasing the crimson locks atop her head. The meaningful words that slowly filled the room seemed to tingle and echo softly at the back of her mind, filling her with a sudden yearning to sing along. "Worrying about the starting bell, a classmate comes running up calling "Good morning!"

_Natsukusa ga kaoru hodou hohoemide hajimaru asa _

_itsumo to onnaji dakedo _

"The sidewalk is fragrant with summer grasses." She began to smile brightly, singing louder now as happiness began to shrine through in her voice. "The morning begins with a smile. It's the same as always, but..."

_Sarigenai shunkan sae watashi no takaramono _

_kokoro no arubamu ni hatte aru _

"…even a casual moment is a treasure to me, pasted in the album of my heart."

Wasurenai, kono sora wo. Wasurenai, kono yume wo.

At this point, warm tears slowly fell from her closed eyes. But she was content and these were tears of happiness, ones she'd cherish for forever. Yes, she'd never forget this sky or this dream.

_Anata to ima wakeau yasashii kisetsu kanashikute yureta hi mo. _

_Ureshikute, naita hi mo. Taisetsu na omoide na no _

"Megumi! Megumi! Wake up!" A yell accompanied by the sounds of footsteps came from the other side of the door. It opened a moment later, revealing an apron clad Nabi- no… Minami, standing on the other side. "Our show's on…" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the trail of glistening tears on the girl's cheeks.

_Hi ga ataru watarirouka tomodachi ni uchiaketa ne _

_suteki na hito demo "naisho..." _

"What's wrong?" The young actress asked anxiously.

**_In a covered passage in the sun, I confided in a friend: _**

_**a wonderful person, but "it's a secret..." **_

Ranma didn't answer her. She did not understand her feelings well enough herself to explain them to other. She opened her eyes and tried to find an excuse only to have one given to her.

_Kiri-sugita kami wo kuyami nemurenai yoru mo atta _

_itsuka wa waraeru kashira _

"What's wrong?" Minami repeated when the girl held her hands over her mouth and started shaking instead of answering her. It looked like she was trying to choke herself.

**_Lamenting the hair I cut too short, there were nights I couldn't sleep. _**

_**I wonder if I can ever laugh about it. **_

"You… You… Oh God," the red haired maiden said between gulps of breath. She was still trying to stifle her laughter and failing miserably. "Nabiki in an apron… oh God."

Minami lost that worried frown in an instant. She seemed relieved for almost a minute before assuming an irritated look. "Why you…" She dove onto the lying girl and assaulted her with the aged-old tickling tackle attack.

_Sazanami ga sarau you ni hakanaku kieta koi _

_itami ga kakokei ni kawatte mo _

Ranma shrieked in fright and hopped off the bed. She ran from the room giggling as her friend chased her. The thought of giggling seemed to want to linger in her mind, probably to annoy her. She would worry about it later.

**_As if washed away by rippling waves, love was fleetingly worn away. _**

_**Even if the pain becomes past tense, **_

The pair ran into the living room where the TV screen was showing an opening theme of a show. The two girls looked at the single beanbag present and at each other, blinking in perfect synchronization. They gave another loud shriek and dove at it.

_Wasurenai, ano niji wo. Wasurenai, ano ai wo. _

_sou otona ni natte mo nakushitakunai. _

They ended up sharing the silly thing. With Minami sitting on it and Ranma settled comfortably, snuggling in her lap. The red headed girl watched avidly as the beginning theme came to an end; at which point there was a shot that contained all the cast; showing familiar faces which she'd never forget.

_**I won't forget; that rainbow. I won't forget: that love.**_

**_Even if I become an adult, I don't want to lose them. _**

The red head suddenly sniffed the air. She had a curious looked on her face when she said. "Was that… burnt toast?" Minima froze, her face turned ashen.

_Hashaideta itsu date. Nayandeta ima date._

_Mabushisa wa owaranai no. _

Ranma smiled brilliantly, dazzlingly. She watched as the taller girl ran out the room, heading for the kitchen to save their breakfast. She was distressed, but at the same time, she was content.

**_I was high-spirited; at any time. I was distressed; even now._**

**_The dazzling brightness doesn't end. _**

She was happy, and that's all that matters, right?

--- TT ---

Author's note:

I want to thank Tread Weaver-san, my pre-reader, right away before I forgot… Okay, I've done it. Now, what do I say… Oh yeah.

This fic, in a way, represent my life at the moment. I'm going through a change. No, it's not a big mystery, I won a scholarship to an English school for writers but my parents want me to become a doctor… We kind of had a confrontation and I could not go without their consent so… This fic represents a person going through a change in life and must learn to survive. Yeah, that's it.

Enough of my rant; thank you for reading the story, I hoped you enjoyed reading the story. Re-view please

--- TT ---

Right... em... when I wrote this I've decided that "This Sky This Dream" isn't gonna be one of those fic where you have to reread each chapters like four times and do back ground research or get a psychology degree to understand it.

Yes, it has a lot of ironical and sub plot and hidden meanings but I want to make it so readers can actually enjoy it without understanding every aspect of the fic. So i've decided to keep the plot summary of each chapter at the end. If you want to read it; proceed.

…

Woo hoo, we're back again with chapter summary for the 2nd time. Right, right. I'll get right into it. Em, this chapter is written in a tone that's fitted into a pattern. That pattern is a person suffering from withdrawal from an addiction. This coincidently fits into the pattern of a person suffering from delusion and waking from it as well…

The first dream sequence is Ranma's mental re-rendition of what happened in the bath house which was commented later by the doctor and Noriko, the Akane look alike. Ranma was then thinking in a funny tone because she was sedated. Yep, she was high.

Ketazolam is a sedative for patient with Hysteria, thus making her sounds rather silly at the start of the chapter.

Scene with the Grandmother and the kid; is slowly breaking Ranma into the real world experience. Telling her that yes, people get sick. Yes, people dies. Of course she didn't quite get it yet but…

Jumping the balcony and the scene where Ranma was remembering her first lesson with Genma about mid air combat. Again; stripping away Ranma's view of reality and reinserting an actual realistic view of the world.

Em… what's with Minami?

Well, that would be answered in latter chapter, the next one in fact! But more later as well. Yes, this was all fore shadowed in the first chapter and No, don't go back and read it again.

2nd dream sequence it a normal nightmare, occurred from Ranma belief that her father would abandon her. This builds onto how she was thinking when the poor business man walked into her later on.

The way she was feeling… Well to be honest, she wasn't in that bad of shape. The fact that she was feeling so down was because of the sedative wearing off and the fact that she's experiencing the real world for the first time.

Why was Ranma so ready to trust Minami?

Again, this will be explain in a latter chapter. Yes, it has been fore shadowed. A lot more of your question WILL be answered so bear with me here.


	3. Chapter 3: Aquamarine

--- TT ---

'This Sky This Dream' by Krimzonrayne no Akai Kou Hana.

Chapter Three: Aquamarine; to dreaming of, and making new friends.

Standard disclaimer applies to all pre existing characters, the poem is mine though. Megumi Hayashibara and other voice actors/actresses mentioned are people in their own right and I do not, in any way, own any of them. They name are used here without consent but for non-monetary purposes.

Read the end of last chapter for a summary of what happened previously.

Knowledge on meaning of gems and birthstone are from various sources as well as my own experience with such items. They're to be interpreted loosely and are NOT facts.

--- TT ---

A small crack grew softly, steadfast in its contention,

Like the bile rising in the back of your throat, it crept.

A face behind the mask of our own making: the truth that lies,

Hidden beneath the underneath were thus,

An emotion; indescribable by neither words nor pictures nor sound,

A present that defies and defines us, the truth about wisdom,

The very one thing that remains unchanged by the sky above us,

The suffering that would never go away when one lives.

The eternal struggle that can not simply be ignored,

At least not by all and at least not for forever.

And for this that I lament not for my cleaning bill,

But for the red; sweet, sweet, red tomato sauce spilt.

For I heed this one truth my friend, a simple fact of life,

All the money in the world would not have made your pie tastier.

Like a person hiding behind a mask,

Hoping that all troubles would fade away.

Soon he would realize, that once the dark red spot is gone,

How his pie could've tasted so much better.

"Tomato sauce's blues" by Krimzonrayne, akai no kou hana

--- TT ---

Her world was filled with titillating aquamarines.

The bright sparkles that shifted sublimely from one form to another as the wind tore across its surface. Their wondrous ripples never did ceased to amaze her no matter how many times she saw it and you can rest assured that she'd seen it far too many times to count.

It was water again.

Always had been, always is and probably always will be. A presence that's ever present…ever so haunting in her life. It always began with water too you know, turning into a girl every time she got splashed, at Jusenkyo… heck even at that stupid hand print on the suicide vow.

Ink is ink but making such digression now seemed rather silly especially when none of it had actually happened in the first place.

Especially when it didn't matter a darn thing anymore, especially when she no longer had a water-triggered curse or seppuku pledge… or a mother for that matter…

But enough about that now, a girl don't brood on important things right? They just cook, clean and look pretty; a porcelain doll to be put on a dais and observed from afar.

Right?

…

Right?

…

Nothing. No answer- just the same unwavering darkness.

But wait… there's light! There! A flash of light, the soft sunbeam reflecting off pearly white teeth, a hint of a smile

A face of calm serenity, unchanged by the sky above her. An upside down smile that's far different from a mere frown that only SHE could possess.

"Ranma-chan… How are you feeling?" The angel-like girl asked.

"I am well, Kasumi-oneesama," the red head replied, beaming happily. She actually wasn't, she had a bad headache and her whole body was sore but… Kasumi was there. What more could she want?

Kasumi blinked in trepidation. Ranma-chan was always nice to her but 'honored elder sister'? Since when was she that polite? The longhaired girl mentally shook her head. The blow must've been more painful than it looked. Which brings her to her current point.

"Ranma-chan, you can Akane have been fighting each other constantly as of late. This is starting to get out of hand," the eldest Tendo sister said reproachfully. The resulting sorrowful look on the younger girl face almost broke her resolve but this had to be said. She remained stern and continued on grimly, "Now, I'm not saying it was entirely your fault but I think you should apologize to Akane-chan."

Kasumi was the kind of person who believes the best things of everyone and an optimist but still… the result was rather… unexpected.

"You are absolutely correct, honored sister. I shall do as you instructed… no, I shall do as it is appropriate." Ranma got up slowly, drawing her feet under her and raised gracefully in one fluid motion. She glided to the door, shuffling her feet softly and deftly; moving without making a sound.

Delicately, the girl slid the rice paper door across, startling the shorthaired Tendo who was waiting anxiously on the other side.

"Akane-san!" The redhead cried in surprise, dropping to her knee as she remembered what she had been meaning to do. "I sincerely apologize for all my wrong doing in these past few months. There's no excuse for the way I've been agonizing you and I'm genuinely sorry. I cannot ask for your forgiveness but please let me make it up to you."

Akane's reaction was a lot more pronounced than Kasumi's. Her eyes widened visibly as she seemed to go into shock. The facial expression was extremely exaggerated, almost to the point of being comical.

"Eh… that's okay Ranma. I'm... I guess... I'm sorry for hitting you as well," the young Tendo stuttered in response. "Em… about that, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Oh please don't apologize, I deserved it," Ranma said softly, waving off the other girl's apologetic words. "To answer your question; yes I'm fine, so don't fret yourself on my account. In fact my head felt like it had been cleared, a rather refreshing feeling actually."

The polite words and the disarming smile did little to ease Akane's feeling of apprehension. Something was seemed…wrong about the girl, the way she handle herself, her polite and sophisticated choice of words… heck, the fact that Ranma was apologizing to her was, in itself, was alarming enough.

"Are you absolutely sure Ranma? I mean you're acting rather… different." Akane broached the subject uneasily. Before the redhead could answer her, Genma and Soun spotted the pair as they walked into the hall. A brief flash of relief passed over Ranma's father's eyes while Soun started crying and sprinted over to the two girls. The red head looked down at her attire or the lack of, before looking back up at the incoming middle aged Tendo patriarch.

"Ranma my boy, you're ALIVE!"

"Eep!" Ranma squeaked out rather girlishly before running back into the room, shutting the door behind her in an attempt to obtain some kind of modesty.

Soun, having missed his intended target, fell flat onto the wooden floor. He got up and gave his daughter and his old friend a questioning look. The shaking of their heads indicated that they were as clueless as he was. In the momentary silence that ensued they could hear a slightest hint of a whisper coming from room Ranma had disappeared into a second ago.

"Uncle! Father! How could you?" The embarrassed sounding voice said with a hint of exasperation. "Honestly, I didn't even have my undergarments on!"

The silence was deafening.

The three of them looked back and forth between one another uneasily until Akane's impetuosity got the better of her. She strode up to the door and practically slammed it open. She looked inside and froze.

Genma and Soun spared the entranced girl a glance before shrugging their shoulders and followed suit. They were similarly frozen when they saw look inside.

Ranma, in the process of putting one of Kasumi's peasant blouses regarded Akane's intrusion with mild curiosity (after all it was normal for two girls to see each other undressed) then began blushed madly at the two men's lack of common courtesy.

"FATHER! UNCLE!" the red headed girl yelled in surprise, turning around to hide her prominent assets that couldn't be covered with her dainty hands. "Seriously! Can't a girl at least have her feminine modesty?"

'A girl?,' Akane echoed the word in her mind: flabbergasted. 'What heck is she talking about?'

"What are you talking about Ranma? Stop acting like a girl!" the girl stated bluntly, looking pleadingly at Kasumi for help. The older girl was similarly clueless.

"But Akane-chan, how else am I supposed to act? After all," the red head began, speaking slowly, confusion evidenced in her voice. "I AM a girl."

--- TT ---

A day begins with a smile. In truth it started with the dawn but if one thinks long and hard on the topic one would find that, although a day started with the dawn, it truly begins with a smile.

Because can you seriously say, in all honestly, that you're truly enjoying a morning when eyes are bleary and you're head dulled with awakening stupor?

For truth, the only way you can begin a morning is with a smile. Like the one adorning a certain redheaded girl's face as she went about picking flowers out in the Tendo's backyard. Her smile was beautiful, a complete contrast to the looks on everyone's faces the night before when she announced the fact that she was a girl to them.

She continued to pick up the flowers absentmindedly. Her mind was occupied with thoughts and reflections of yesterday's event, up to the point where she didn't detect someone's presence until she was almost right behind her.

"Good morning, honored elder sister Kasumi," Ranma greeted the Tendo girl, smiling joyously. The girl beamed back at her but her smile seemed a shade darker than its usual dazzlingly brightness.

'She's upset about something.' The redhead concluded thoughtfully, exercising the proper sensitivity and empathy every girl must practice. She noticed the clothing filled basket by the older girl's side.

"Are you here to hang out the washing, Kasumi-oneesama?" she asked even though it was obvious, after all a mere girl mustn't assume anything. No, she should always ask for confirmation. After all, such is the proper behavior for a young lady of her status.

Kasumi gave her a cursory nod, unsure of what Ranma was getting at.

"Please allow me to help you," The girl begged, depositing the fair blossoms she had collected in a vase that must've appeared out of thin air. Kasumi didn't seem to notice so the young girl didn't give it another thought.

Once again, Kasumi simply gave a nod as her consent. She didn't seem quite as cheerful as she always was and it tugged at the girl's newfound heart and sense of sympathy.

'But what can I do?' Ranma sighed. She hated being new to this girl business. Suddenly her train of thought came to a startling halt as she realized what her hands were holding. It was a pair of underwear.

Male underwear.

"Oh my…" she muttered a little loudly, blushing deep red as she allowed the boxer to fall from her nerveless fingers and into the basket.

"What is it, Ranma-chan?" Kasumi asked sounding slightly alarmed. From the way the girl behaved last night, the 'oh my' from this new Ranma could've meant anything from 'Oh my, I've stepped on a flower' or 'Oh my, strange men are trying to kill me'.

"I've just… I've just… touch men's… you know," Ranma stuttered out, averting her eyes when words failed her.

The longhaired girl's eyes drifted downward. "Boxers?" she asked, lifting her eyebrow incredulously at the girl.

"Unmentionables…" the younger girl interjected weakly, sounding even more embarrassed than before.

"Oh for love of…" someone drawled from behind her. Ranma turned around to see Akane rolling her eyes.

"What is wrong about hanging washed boxers out to dry? Kasumi does it all the time," the young Tendo said exasperatedly. "You were just wearing one the day before!"

Ranma's face turned almost the same shade of red as her hair at the other girl's exclamation. "Please, Akane," The girl said meekly, staring at the ground between them. "I'm embarrassed enough as it is, you didn't have to announce it to the whole neighborhood."

Akane stared at the girl as if she was mad then a realization dawned on her.

"But then… which mean… but if you're not wearing a boxer then…" The shorthaired girl muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Her eyes widened fearfully as her train of thought reached it destination. She rushed forward and flipped the skirt of Ranma's dress up, flashing a hint of white cotton panties.

Akane was aghast.

Ranma 'I'm a Man.' Saotome was wearing a pair of panties.

For a second she was lost in her own world, assaulted by immeasurable sense of denial. It was like the end of the world snuck up on you and going 'Boo!' But as soon as the momentary insecurity passed over her, she had once again come back to wielding an emotion most people associates with her character.

She was livid.

"GET OUT OF THOSE RIGHT NOW!" Akane yelled angrily at the red head.

The submissive girl blanched at the sheer amount of vehemence and fury being directed at her. She quickly scampered out of the undergarment before stepping over said object to get away from the enraged girl.

"But Akane-chan," Ranma whined, sounding every bit the little girl she was. "It's indecent to not wear any undergarment with this dress. A strong breeze would've…"

"Wear this then!" Akane yelled, cutting into the girl's sentence. She threw the plain white Karate gi she was going to change into later to the girl.

"But, Akane…" Ranma protested weakly as she caught the martial artist's garb. "I don't…"

"Come on, Ranma," the other girl yelled again and started pulling the redhead in the direction of the dojo. Only moments later, Ranma was finding herself miraculously dressed in the gi, facing off against Akane in the dojo.

"Akane-chan," the redhead tried to say but was cut off by an aggressive punch launched by the said girl. She ducked under the attack and tried again but her opponent didn't give her a break and she was forced to continuously dodge, too occupied to say anything.

The flurry of blows continued for almost fifteen minutes before the young Tendo had spent her energy and was too exhausted to throw another punch. She glared balefully at the shorter girl as she stood there heaving.

"What's wrong with you? Swing at me!" she yelled even though it was plain that she couldn't fight anymore. Ranma glanced at the stubborn girl's arms; they were slumped down beside her body, ineffective to provide any form of defense.

The girl mentally grimaced. What should she do? Akane is far too proud to take losing lightly.

She let her guard fell away and just stood there staring timidly at the wooden floorboards between them.

"Swing at me damn it!"

"…no…." Ranma paused. It was hard forcing the words she was about to say out. That is, even if she has accepted what she had become, it still hurt to speak it out loud. "I don't want to fight anyone anymore. I hate fighting. Fighting is for BOYS; I want to do GIRLS things, like flower arranging, tea ceremony and cooking."

"But Ranma, that's not who you are…"

"You're just saying that because you're jealous. You're afraid I'm going to be a better girl than you are, aren't you?" the redhead said accusingly.

Akane flinched. She had an unreadable look on her face when she turned away. Starring at some distance blade of grass she uttered quietly.

"Is that really what you think?"

Ranma mentally gasped. She hadn't meant to say that. That wasn't what she intended to say. She shouldn't have said that. It wasn't supposed to happen.

It was out of character for her.

She came out of her reverie and found that the saddened Akane has already left. "Wait Akane-chan!" Ranma called out, hoping that the girl hadn't gotten far and could still hear her. She ran to the dojo's door and opened it to get outside only to be promptly stopped by a certain middle aged martial artist.

"Father!" the girl blurted out in surprise. "You surprised me."

That was an understatement; especially when she was dodging a punch when she was saying it. Ranma almost slinked back, moving with the grace of a Tango dancer to avoid the next few incoming blows. The way she weaved herself through the punches and kicks seemed almost magical and fantasy-like in nature.

It was like watching a beautifully choreographed dance routine being done by true professionals.

The dodging continued for almost a minute before Genma finally had his daughter backed into a corner. For a split second it seemed like they've reached a stalemate. Suddenly Ranma gave a half-hearted sigh and exploded into action. She took a minute to quite literally pound the stuffing out of her father, apologizing with every strike, trying in vain to remain ladylike while doing something a woman shouldn't do.

Finally satisfied with her result; Ranma gave an indignant huff and left, leaving the crumpled and roughened up form of Genma on the dojo's floor. Just as soon as she stepped through the door she was splashed with a bucket full of warm water.

She gave a shriek loud enough to break glass then stood still.

"…and CUT!" A loud voice rang out.

--- TT ---

The dramatic lighting switched off, leaving the set in darkness for half a second before the overhead lights came to life, illuminating the replica of Tendo's residence that they were filming in. The girl relaxed and leaned against the one of the many props decorating the set.

"That was amazing, Megumi-chan!" The director practically gushed as he ran over to her, his megaphone still held in his right hand. "Four! Four whole scenes without a hitch and all in one go."

Ranma blushed cutely at being subjected such the high praise; it was something she'd never experienced before. "Please don't say such a thing, I was horrible. I missed TWO lines and was completely out of character. That was far from praiseworthy," she said humbly, pointing out and picked at her mistakes far harsher than movies critics would a terrible film.

"Nonsense! Those impromptu lines fit into the flow of the story far better than the original and as far as being out of character goes, you played the part perfectly," the man said, beaming proudly. "You are being far too modest, Megumi-chan."

"Wow that was great R… Megumi!" a familiar voice called out from behind them, one that the young actress recognized almost immediately.

"Minami-chan!" She turned around and found herself face to face with her friend and co-worker. She beamed happily; glad to see the other actress again, even if it had only been a few hours since they last seen each other.

Before they had a chance to greet each other properly, a chorus of commendations from their fellow cast interrupted the pair.

"That was incredible, Megumi-san. You were struggling to get through first scene yesterday, now you've just breezed through it," Ukyou's look alike congratulated her, gushing like a schoolgirl who was meeting her idol would.

"Yes, it was indeed incredible, you were even better than before," the actress who played Kasumi commented before adding thoughtfully "A remarkable, if some what _interesting_ improvement."

Ranma's mind whirled from the attention she was receiving. It was a bit much but to be perfectly honest, she didn't mind it all that much. She couldn't complain anyway; it was better than the kind of attention she was used to receiving before.

The kind that came with chained maces, flying battle umbrellas and razor bladed hula hoops.

Suddenly, the red haired actress felt rather faint. It seemed that those memories triggered something within her, something she had been ignoring all day.

She gave an inaudible whimper, her face paled considerably; a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the other three actresses.

"What's wrong Megumi-san?" Ukyou… or rather, an actress who played her fictional best friend asked in an overtly worried tone. She reminded Ranma of a lovesick girl whose crush had just been killed.

"I guess I shouldn't skip breakfast after all," the redhead lied, pausing as she remembered she didn't know the other girl's name. She composed herself and replied jokingly, her voice filled with Ranma-chan's usual bravadoes. "It was nothing a martial artist like me can't handle, Ucchan!"

It seemed to have worked and everyone wasn't as alarmed as before. Correction, almost everyone; Minami was looking at her questioningly but she pretended to not have noticed it.

The woman who looked like Kasumi chuckled rather dryly at the display. She seemed amused but not at the same level as the other girl was. Kind of like an adult who laughs when children make a mockery out of themselves by doing something silly.

She pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a puff in a very un-Kasumi like manner. "Say, why don't we all go out for lunch? I mean, the food they serve here is nice and all but curry-rice bowls do get kind of old after a while. Besides, I want to hear about that rumor of you being in the hospital yesterday."

"That sounds wonderful," the fan girl version of Ukyou gushed, again, much to Ranma's annoyance. She knew she shouldn't have felt that way. After all, a girl is always nice and friendly to other girls is she not?

"Sure, why not? Let's go change out of our costumes." Minami chimed in her response.

Ranma suddenly became aware of the fact that she was the only one in the entire cast the redhead knew the name of.

Just as they were about to leave for the dressing room Minami felt someone tugging on the tail of her blouse. She turned around and found that it was Ranma.

"Em… Minami-chan, I don't have another set of clothing with me. What should I do?" she asked meekly.

The actress who played Nabiki felt like smacking her own forehead. Of course she didn't, she had spent the night at Minami's place after all. When they'd finished watching the airing of their show this morning, they'd spent almost an hour going through the pictorial of when they were working together. It was a long time ago; she was playing Haibara Aya, an age reduced girl and Megumi was playing Edogawa Conan. It was a good series, the detective Conan. It ran for years and was basically what built her career.

"How about the clothes you gave me for the shoot? The one I came in this morning, the Chinese T and black slacks, couldn't I wear those?" Ranma suggested, noticing that her friend was trying to think of something.

"No, those are very distinctive. You seemed to have forgotten how famous you are, Megumi. If you go out in that, we'll have to stop and sign autographs every couple of minutes," The oldest of the four pointed out, watching the young redhead carefully. "How come you don't have another set of clothing with you?"

"That's my fault, Kikuko," Minami interjected on her friend's behalf, coming to her rescue. "You see, when I'd heard about Megumi's accident I was so worried that I'd invited her to stay at my place as soon as she was released."

"Last night, we were so caught up in catching up with each other that we'd forgotten about grabbing some clothes from Megumi's apartment for today."

"Hey! Why don't we drop by there today and grab some clothes for her?" Ukyou's look alike suggested. For some reason, she seemed surprisingly happy at the prospect of visiting Megumi's apartment.

Kikuko, the actress who played Kasumi, rolled her eyes at that. "But it's on the other side of town isn't it?"

Ranma nodded uncertainly, having no idea where her apartment was. She hadn't bent there before as far as she could remember.

"Well, I can't imagine us going through the traffic just to grab a change of clothing," The longhaired girl said, placing a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "How about we go shopping after lunch? I mean, a new outfit or two couldn't hurt right?"

Ranma supposed that a girl should be happy about going shopping but… "That sounds really nice, but what about this afternoon? Do we have enough time?" The pig tailed girl said.

Kikuko didn't answer her. She turned to the director who was discussing the next scene with Yamaguchi Kappei, the actor who played the male Ranma.

"OI!!! FURUHASHI-SENSEI!!!"

Ranma flinched, at the volume and the fact that the yell came from a person who looked exactly like Kasumi; someone the red haired girl had always pictured as the epitome of womanhood, the very meaning of the word ladylike.

The surprise thought tugged at something within her once again, she promptly ignored it.

"Furuhashi-sensei!" The loud woman called out again.

"Yes, what is it?" The director, Furuhashi… something… said irritably as he walked over to the four of them, hoping that the tall girl would stop shouting.

"When do we have to be back by for the afternoon takes? We're thinking about going out for lunch and maybe doing some shopping as well," Kikuko answered with her question.

"Well, let me see…" The man began, flipping through the stack of papers he was carrying. "Hmm… here we are: episode 31; Am I pretty? Ranma's declaration of womanhood!..."

"Ranma and his father are training outside of the Tendo house. Meanwhile,

Kasumi and Akane are cooking dinner. When Akane brings her Japanese omlettes to the dining room table, Ranma and his father come fighting in. Ranma destroys Akane's cooking. Then Ranma and his father go to the garden. Akane runs out with a frying pan and takes a swipe at Ranma. Ranma dodges back to avoid the pan, but he hits his head on a rock and passes out in the pond…"

"Hm, got all that done yesterday…" Furuhashi commented absentmindedly to himself, before flipping the page over and continued reading the episode synopsis out loud.

"When Ranma-chan wakes up, Kasumi tells Ranma to forgive Akane. Then Ranma-chan very politely, with girl's words, says that it's all right. Then she says that she feels like her head has been cleared. Kasumi calls everyone and says that Ranma is acting weird. When Akane, Genma, Soun, and Happosai arrive,

Ranma-chan screams because she's only half dressed. Akane tells Ranma to stop acting like a girl. Then, Ranma-chan says that she's a girl."

Ranma blinked; something about what the man said seemed… off? Like some part of it were wrong. She mentally shrugged her shoulders and continued listening.

"The next day, Ranma-chan is picking flowers… Done. Fight with Akane… Tick." The director read on, skipping some part as he felt Kikuko's glare boring into him. He resisted the urge to sigh, wondering about how much the real 'Kasumi' differs from the much-loved Manga perfection.

"Ah, here we are; after lunch, Akane asks Ranma if he wants to go shopping with her. Ranma says yes. Then Ranma cries when he was trying to find clothes to wear. He says that with this body, he can't wear any nice dresses. Akane tries to cheer Ranma up by saying that she doesn't look good in a dress herself. But Ranma says that Akane is very cute."

"When Ranma and Akane go to the women's clothes section, Ranma runs around saying, 'this is so cute, that is so cute.' All of the other shoppers look at Ranma and Akane with strange looks. After Akane pulls Ranma away, Ranma tells Akane that he has to go to the bathroom. Akane tells him to go to the men's side. But Ranma comes out crying that he's too embarrassed and he can't do it. Then Akane pours cold water on Ranma, and Ranma-chan goes to the women's side…"

"Akane then buys a 35,600 yen dress for Ranma-chan…"

"I think we know where Megumi must play now, what time does she need to be here by?" Kikuko interrupted the man.

"Hm… we'll starting shooting around 1 o'clock so it'll probably be 2:30 before we get to her part."

"Discounting lunch and time to get there and back, that would leave us about an hour and a half at most to spend shopping," Kikuko mused rather sardonically. "Not much is it?"

"Well standing around here talking about it doesn't help. So how about we get going Kikuko?" Minami groused; that girl is such a spoilsport. And from the way she's looking at Ranma, it's obvious she'd noticed something's up. She turned to pigtailed friend.

"Come on, Megumi," the shorthaired actress said to Ranma, beckoning her to follow. "You can use my gym gear again until we've bought some better clothes."

The red headed girl nodded and followed Minami into the changing room.

'Again?' Inoue Kikuko echoed the word to herself. 'Interesting… This definitely bears looking into'

--- TT ---

Despite the fact that her two successful roles gave her a dubious image in the Television world, Takayama Minami was an honest and easygoing girl at heart. Maybe it was the shape of her face or the slight narrowness of her eyes or her distinctive shark-like smile that got her the part of Haibara Ai, the astute adult turned girl in Detective Conan or Tendo Nabiki, the manipulative young racketeer in Ranma ½. Whatever it was; it was definitely not her character or her personality

She was far too sincere and not nearly as devious enough to fit both these roles precisely.

Of course, just because she's sincere doesn't mean she couldn't be intuitive at the same time. Her keen sense of perception alerted her to Ranma's change in behavior almost right away.

The way she was apologizing for every little thing, the way she speaks, the same modest and polite term she uses; none of these went over her head. She saw it all and it worried her.

It worried her because not only wasn't Ranma acting like her character should, she wasn't acting like Megumi used to either.

She was acting like a stereotypical Japanese girl; submissive, docile and obedient, just like she was in the episode they were filming.

And it was with this thought plaguing her mind that the short haired actress watched her young friend as the party of Ranma 1/2's cast went on their luncheon and mid-day outing.

Currently, the subject of her worriment was eating dessert and discussing current fashion with the attentive Tsuru Hiromi, the actress who played Ukyou and the surprisingly talkative Kikuko. On the surface, Minami could only see her friend Megumi enjoying herself, making friends for the first time but if she looked carefully enough…

"Yes, I do believe that ribbon would look wonderful on you, Hiromi-chan," the redhead concurred softly as she cut up her fruit salad into a meager portion. She used the fork and knife to lift the morsel to her mouth and proceeded to consume it delicately, eating with a well-disguised strain that only Minami noticed.

"What about this one, Megumi-chan?" Hiromi suggested, pointing at a blue blouse and matching mid-length skirt in the catalogue they were looking at. "The color would go really well with your eyes."

"True but it would make her looks rather bland, don't you think? After all Megumi is a trendy girl. She wouldn't want something traditional and plain like that, would she?" Kikuko asked deceptively. She was watching said actress with narrowed eyes and a piecing look.

The statement stirred a debate within Ranma's mind. A girl like her should dress appropriately but what is appropriate? The plain blouse and skirt would make her more ladylike but what Kas… Kikuko-san was inching toward were clothing like those she saw Akane wear.

"Oh I'm not sure. All these look so cute, it's a hard decision," Ranma answered politely, deflecting the question without realizing the true significance of it.

'Did she notice what I'm trying to do?' The older girl thought. Her eyes narrowed even further.

"How about we go try them on when we're shopping? You will get a better idea of how it suits you then," Minami proposed. "After all, we did make sure we have enough time for that."

"Oh I'm sorry everyone," Ranma said when she realized she was the only one who hasn't finished her dessert yet. She dexterously handled her spoon and finished it in no time. The fact that she managed to do so without spilling or dining discourteously spoke highly of her ability.

'She apologized again, that was the fourth time since we'd started eating,' Kikuko mentally noted. 'Whoever this Megumi is, she isn't the old Hayashibara that's for sure. And the way she used the spoon… sure we all had martial art training for our roles but THAT... That was something else.'

They exchanged a moment of polite banter as to who got the privilege of paying for the meal. Kikuko, who was the oldest of the group, remained adamant that she should pay due to her age as well as her being the one who suggested the outing. She paid for the meal and the four of them started shopping in earnest.

But earnest was hardly the mood as far as the atmosphere of the trip goes. With Hiromi's sunny disposition and Megumi's enthusiastic approach to anything feminine, which was all around them in abundance, their little shopping excursion was being done in high spirits.

Or so it would seem.

"Come on you guys!" the carefree girl who played Ukyou called out to them. She was in the process of going into a jewelry shop. "These gems are simply gorgeous."

Minami sighed and followed Ranma who practically ran into the shop, the image of the redhead's serious expression when she was considering lingerie still troubled her mind.

--- TT ---

Megumi was… content.

She really was; for the first time she could remember, she was making friends. She was also shopping; something a girl her age should be doing rather the out brawling about with stupid rivals like she used to when she thought she was a boy.

When she thought she was Saotome Ranma.

Of course, that was all just a silly dream, a silly dream of a silly girl.

Befitting really.

Her heart throbbed at that… but no matter, she was content.

Content enough to ignore it.

"Megumi-chan!" Ukyou… no Hiromi, Megumi reminded herself, Hiromi called out to her.

"Coming!" the black haired actress chimed back, started walking toward her new found friend as she did so. As a lady, walking properly was harder than she thought it would be. She had to be more mindful of how she moved, especially in this skirt she was wearing.

Yes, a skirt, one that they've bought with a blouse at the start of their shopping trip. It was a semi-conservative yet elegant skirt that came down to her knee. It has a split on the side; showing enough skin to be tasteful but not so much so that one would consider it vulgar.

Proper attire for a young woman such as herself.

"How about this one? I bet you'd look really stunning in it," The cheerful girl said, pointing out a ruby red spaghetti straps gown. It was extremely sexy and somewhat revealing.

'And it was missing the back,' she almost blurted out. Realizing how it was meant to be worn.

'But that would mean…" Megumi thought, feeling a wave of repulsion emanating from somewhere within her being. She quenched it once again, postponing what could only be an eventual confrontation.

"Excuse me Miss," the saleswoman intruded her train of thought. "May I suggest some undergarments to go with the dress? Something from these varieties perhaps?" She continued, gesturing at the selection of lingerie displayed on the rack beside her.

It should be note that Megumi had made up her mind to be a proper woman, and thus, had prepared to wear the appropriate attires. But she hadn't expected that such attires would involve something so… lacy…. so… accentuating…

So… feminine…

Megumi gulped as the remnants of Ranma screamed soundlessly at her from within. Epileptic shocks, horrifies shriek or joyful cry.

She really couldn't decide.

"Come on you guys!" Hiromi called out to them. She was in the process of going into a jewelry shop. "These gems are simply gorgeous."

'She's like a butterfly,' Megumi noted, moving toward the jewel store at a brisk pace. She found herself moving away from the red dress with no regrets.

--- TT ---

The store was masterfully decorated and laid out. The way the candle lighting reflected off the many glistening gems present gave the place a certain mystical ambiance that was a world away from the other shop they're visited earlier.

To Megumi it was like stepping into the preverbal rabbit hole from Alice in Wonderland.

The easily impressed Hiromi was, of course, absolutely in awe at the place but even the normally indifferent Kikuko was startled out of her current investigative mood and was similarly entranced as well. The party dissolved concurrently, without prior discussion.

They all simply felt as if it was the right thing to do.

Megumi moved to the right, lost in the thought and was moving instinctually. The brightly shimmering gems of hardened dewdrops and crystallized lightning mesmerized her like a snake charming a mouse.

Her wandering eyes came to rest upon a beautiful teardrop shaped gem. It was bright blue but just a shade darker than the Sapphire that was next to it. It was the exact same shade as her eyes.

"Ah the Fondest Wish. An excellent choice if I do say so myself." The proprietor commented from behind her. "A wonderful piece: composed of 19 carat of pure Aquamarine.

The pigtailed girl's heart skipped a beat; she didn't even hear him approach.

"Interesting stone, aquamarines are. In ancient times, it was said to aid seafarers. To dream of an aquamarine signifies the making of new friends. To wear aquamarine earrings brings love and affection. It is the universal symbol of youth, hope and health. The aquamarine is mainly found in Brazil, Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia and Ukraine. But this one…"

A hand passed by her side, brushing slightly against her elbow as it reached into the display cabinet. She was surprised to see that it wasn't locked.

"…this one came from Africa, in Sahara desert I believe it was found."

"At first it was believed to sapphire or even tainted diamond but over time and frequent polishing, it turned a shade darker. It wasn't until the invention of spectrometer that we verified its actual color matrix to be aquamarine."

"As I recall there's a story with this one too, a colleague of mine whose artistic inclination was notoriously creative made up a short fable from its history. Let me see if I can remember it…"

"Ah yes, the Fondest Wish, a tale of stone that unto which we see, a colored light which reflects ourselves the most; the very core that's humanity."

"It began as an Opal, full of hope and innocent desires. Through the blade of the jeweler it went, where its mundane shell was carved away leaving a clearest of gems. The Saraha's diamond, it was believed to be… and it was."

"So full of life that it was in fact a diamond. But as a diamond it was unhappy. Although a precious stone, its existence lacks all the things that it desire. Friendship, compassion, being wanted, being loved."

"Lacking these things, it was left hallowed, unfulfilled…"

"So it changes. Once again it grew a shell, not in protection but in self-imprisonment. The magnificent diamond masked itself of all its brilliance and changed to a mere blue. All this in a vain hope that, amongst the norm, amongst the average, it'll make a friend."

"In the end it sacrifices its true beauty for the sake of allusion of happiness… a mere shadow of its wondrously destined path."

Megumi blinked, realizing that she had been standing there for a short while after the aged owner has finished his tale. She glanced up at him, being a minutely built girl, and looked into his eyes. They were old but held the wisdoms of age in them; a twinkle of empathic grace that shone through no matter what.

The young actress gulped. Her heart thumped, almost painfully this time. The tides of emotion came again.

And this time, it broke.

"Excuse me guys, I really need to use the restroom," she mumbled to her friends who were scattered throughout the store and couldn't actually hear her. But the fact they could not hear said nothing of their power of observation.

Minami watched as her best friend ran off, vivified and even more worried than before. While Kikuko merely inclined her head to the side, she was curious but just that, curious; nothing less but definitely nothing more.

The ever-vacant Hiromi simply nodded absently, taking Megumi's departure for the lavatory as your run-of-the-mill answer to nature's call.

The short haired actress who played Nabiki gave a piecing glance at the proprietor, wondering what the heck he did to make Ranma ran off like that. What she didn't know was that it wasn't Ranma who ran off but Megumi, the girl.

The wizened old man smiled at her, it seemed as if he had missed her scolding look completely.

But of course, nothing was ever as it seemed.

"Ah, Miss. You seemed a bit lost. Perchance I could show you a few of our Amethyst? We do have a few varieties in our collection after all," he said rather cheerfully, unmindful of the girl's escalating ire. "Interesting stones, these amethysts are. The Greeks believed that it would prevent intoxication when worn. The amethyst has also symbolized peace, protection and tranquility. It is mainly found in Brazil, Uruguay and Zambia."

"Or perhaps the emeralds? They were thought to bring clarity to befuddled mind and cure ailments such as poor eyesight…"

Minami left the store with a huff, intending to catch up with her friend and finding out what was wrong with her.

She didn't need to hear some stupid lecture on gemstones and their meanings.

She was sure of it.

--- TT ---

Ranma ran.

Unfettered by Megumi's misguided dogma, the false even if somewhat poignant inclination to be, as the silly girly personae so eloquently put it, ladylike, Ranma ran. It wasn't easy, breaking the wall. The girl's psyche, for all her passivity and apparent obedience, held a surprisingly strong will and that wall… that wall was something else again.

It was powerful, very much so. But what was more important was the fact that it was built on happiness, something that's indestructible.

Even to the likes of Saotome Ranma.

In truth, the only thing that enabled the martial artist to escape was the fact that it wasn't true happiness that held her captive. It was fake, a forgery, a mere shadow of the true emotion.

Ranma shook her head. She didn't want… no she shouldn't be thinking about that. Not now. Not when the damn girl could snap out of the shock of being told the truth any minute and return her to imprisonment.

The girl suddenly veered right, the sudden change in momentum caused her pigtail to swing about. She saw the color in the corner of her eyes and paused. Her hair's black? When did that happen?

How much did she change? How much did SHE change?

The young martial artist looked around, realizing that it would be nearly impossible to get a good look at herself on a random reflective object in this crowd. Then an idea occurred to her; why not go to the restroom? She was sure there'd be a mirror there.

As Ranma ran, she began to realize a few more things about herself, disconcerting things. First off, the tightness if somewhat supportive feeling around her chest was definitely a brassier, she had remembered wearing one in order to lure out Happosai.

Secondly, she was wearing makeup. Quite a bit of it from the looks she was receiving.

The pig tailed girl had to resist the urge to throw up at that. The thought of making herself look pretty for a man made her skin crawl. Suddenly, she was glad she was heading toward the lavatory.

In no time at all, the girl arrived at her destination. She was about to go in when she saw the sign, the universal stick figures; one with a skirt and one without.

Ranma froze, wishing she hadn't.

It was a fatal mistake. An instant of inattention, like a badly parried thrust in a sword fight that left one susceptible to attacks, an opening that would be taken advantaged of.

Ranma faltered, collapsing to her knees.

Suddenly everyone was looking at her. Two men rushed forward, intent on helping the poor girl. But just before they got there the girl waved them off.

Then she got up, a serene smile adorning her face once more, replacing the look of near panic she had before. She beamed at them, showing appreciation for their pre offered assistance. She said she was fine.

With that, Megumi turned around, excusing herself politely then walked into the ladies' room without a single moment of hesitation.

After all, a lady does not go to the men's room does she?

'No, of course not,' the young actress thought, placing one foot in front of another. She was walking like she had been earlier, with proper grace and air of a lady.

In the restroom, Megumi was pleasantly surprised. From the memory of the last time she'd been in a ladies' room, she had expected literally lines of people crowding, especially at this time.

She glided over to the line of basins and looked into the sizeable mirror above it. Gazing into the mirror, she was satisfied with what she saw there; the visage of a pretty girl and a perfect example of womanhood.

She smiled serenely but it lacked something, something she couldn't see.

There was a sound of a door swinging open. It distracted Megumi and caused her to turn to it. She immediately brightened upon seeing the face of the person who walked through the door. It was Takayama Minami, her friend.

"Oh hi Minami-chan." The ravened haired girl chirped to her friend. She was fixing her make up and didn't want to pause, she was sure the other girl would understand.

"Don't 'Oh hi' me Ranma, I've been trying to get you alone all day and now that I have I want some questions answered," Minami stormed. She had been worried sick about the girl and now she was in here fixing her make up? What the heck was going on?

Megumi didn't reply. It was obvious the girl wasn't done and she wasn't about to be drawn into some childish yelling contest.

"What is going on, Ranma? You've been acting really strange; almost like… like… you're a girl. Damn it." The shorthaired girl yelled, looking away. She hadn't meant to lose her composure like that but she was founding it too hard to not do so.

"Are you quite done yet, Minami-san?" The other actress said in a tone that implied it wasn't a question, snapping shut her compact as she did. She turned to her colleague and gave her a frosty stare. Seeing as the girl wasn't about to reply, she spun on her heel and began walking away.

"Wait, Ranma! You haven't even answered a single one of my questions," Minami said, grabbing Megumi's arm to halt her. "Come on please, let's talk," she pleaded in a slightly softer tone.

"There's nothing to discuss." The reply came quickly. "And please don't call me by that ridiculous name. I'm Hayashibara Megumi, an actress and I've moved on from such foolish fantasies."

"Something you should do so as well."

Minami drew in a sharp breath, blanching at the steely glint in the other girl's eyes.

Then she saw something.

Thinking back now, it was probably nothing more than a shimmer of light reflecting off the girl's eyes but… her eyes… that shade of blue, it was like a veneer of translucent ice; an arctic prison if you will. It was as if her friend, Ranma, was still there but at the same time she was not.

Then that momentary shimmer was gone, once more hidden by a mask of artificial veracity.

Damn her, why wouldn't she let me in? Why the hell did she have to be so darn proud? So darn independent?

Why wouldn't she let me help her?

Slap!

Megumi's face stung, a visible red handprint slowly emerged where she was slapped. She was shocked. It didn't hurt her so much as it surprised her. She turned back to look back at Minami in confusion.

"You're a hypocrite!" The shorthaired girl said, tears streaming down her face. "You said you've moved on but you haven't." She didn't major in psychology but it wasn't hard to guess, especially when it reflects so much of the episode they were filming.

"You said it was all just a silly dream yet you still believe in it. You still act like Genma's stereotypical girl and not as yourself."

"Where's my friend, Ranma? I don't want you acting like this… I want Megumi back but not at the cost of your happiness."

"Where is my friend? I want her back."

--- TT ---

A tear on her face; a sign of sorrow, one that I've caused… A pain that I've caused.

"Ranma, please return to the regular, mean Ranma. The nice, kind Ranma is not Ranma…"

Ranma had a strange look on her face, a look that, while at first glance seemed like sadness, it was actually guilt. After a moment of silence, the red headed girl said softly, "I understand you, but the other Ranma is gone forever."

"BAKA!!!" Akane suddenly yelled, lunging at the pig tailed girl in confound fury. She was lashing out because she couldn't think of anything else to do.

Ranma dodged the attack and ran outside. Akane was hot on her heel, pursuing out of desperation-induced anger. She continued to stay one step ahead of the enraged girl but not for long. A momentary slip on a well rehearsed spot and the girl was sent hurling toward a certain rock in the Tendo's pond.

Then the water surrounded her.

Then she counted. One, two, three… She called out silently in her mind. Four, five, six… A dramatic pause has to be well timed after all. Seven, eight, nine…

Ranma rose, her face contained a scowl worthy of one vexed Saotome. "What didja do that for, ya Uncute Tomboy!" she snarled at her fiancée.

Akane face contorted in anger, but just as she was about to yell back with her own insult, she suddenly realized something.

Ranma was back.

"Everyone! Come here quick, Ranma's back to normal!" the shorthaired Tendo called out, her eyes were shining with happiness. Suddenly the room was filled with familiar faces- Soun, Genma, Kasumi and Nabiki. They were all looking at her expectantly.

"What? Do I have something my face?" Ranma asked confusedly, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her blouse. Then she realized what she had on.

"Gack!" The pig tailed girl sputtered, looking at her attire in shock and disgust. "What the heck am I wearing?"

The Tendo patriarch eyes widen in understanding. He ran to Ranma and enveloped him in his trademark crying embrace, crying something about 'I knew you could snap out of it' as he did so.

Prying herself out of the tearful hug, the young martial artist was patted on the back by his father. The pat was a bit on the strong side and so Ranma retaliated, patting back in the same friendly fashion but harder. Of course, not to be out done by his son turned daughter; Genma smacked her right back.

Sending the poor girl flying toward the fateful rock once more!

"And… cut!!!" The director voice rang out. "That's a wrap, well done everyone! Let's pack up. Oh and I want to speak with everyone before leaving today."

Megumi got out of the pond, soaked to the bone and was shaking lightly but not from the cold. She felt like her very core has been thrown vicariously into the light; stripped bare and depicted in the numerous stories she'd bare witness to today.

"Em… excuse me, director?" she called out to him, picking at her saturated attire to indicate her need.

"Ah yes, of course Megumi-chan. Go ahead and take a bath, we can talk in the morning. After all, you've done remarkably well today."

"Thank you, sir," she mumbled, still sounding more polite than Ranma but somehow less courteous than before. She walked into the female changing room and stripped off her clothes before flinging them unceremoniously onto the floor. Megumi turned to the mirror and froze.

Her heart thumped again, painfully, like a flash of lighting, as if untold volts of electricity coursed through her veins.

Inside was the image of a red headed girl with a fierce glare that shouldn't be commonplace on a face of a docile young lady. Megumi tried to smile but her frown just twitched, refusing to budge.

"You hate me, don't you?"

The girl glared.

"Why? Why do you hate me so much?" Megumi asked pleadingly, trying to reason with the untamed free spirit that was… is… Saotome Ranma. "I'm only trying to survive, can you fault me for that? We both know you're too macho… too set in your old ways, you'd never adapt."

"What is so wrong about me taking over? I'm doing the things you cannot do, enduring the things you couldn't bear…"

Another wave of pain washed over her body, eliciting a few short but agonizing involuntary spasms.

Then, for a single moment in time, her eyes were vacant as infinity passed by her. Finally it finished.

"I… I cannot understand… but now… now I realize I could never understand… I guess that's enough…" Megumi looked up and into the mirror. "Is that arrogant of me? Or was it selfish?"

A minute passed.

"What do we do now?" Megumi asked softly, hugging her knees close. She was without clothes and naked in more ways than one.

Then a new voice; not better, not worse, just new… it spoke out. The tone was clear… rich, vibrant and filled with certainty but it wasn't any better than before. It was simply different.

"We find a compromise."

--- TT ---

A red sedan sped down a high way. The interior looked like it hadn't seen a polish in months and the back seats were pretty much a landfill with all the clutter.

"Well?" Minami finally spoke. She was sick of the overwrought atmosphere and silence.

"Well what?" Ranma almost snapped back. "Look, I'm not gonna apologize about today okay? If that what you want then forget it! Cause I think I'm entitled to some bitchin right bout now! "

"I'm feeling pretty shitty. What, with finding out my whole life was a comic book and all that… so yeah I feel awful…"

"But guess what? I'm not gonna mope about like a sick puppy cause that will never solve anything. So while I'm feeling pretty darn bad, I'm not gonna let it get to me! I'm gonna tackle this thing head-on. Cause Saotome Ranma never lost and now Hayashibara Megumi won't either!"

"So if you wanna hear me say sorry then you're gonna be disappointed, girl!" Ranma finished, fixing an intense glare onto her friend.

Minami tried, she really did, but under the stare she couldn't help it.

A giggle escaped from the other girl's lips.

"What! What are you laughing about? What's funny?" the pigtailed girl asked, feeling a little angry at her heartfelt words being so readily dismissed by the other girl.

"Geesh… That was some monologue, Ranma." the shorthaired actress commented wryly, she was trying to keep her eyes on the road and stifling another bout of laughter at the same time. "I was only asking what you want for dinner."

The martial artist / actress had the decency to blush, a rather bright red as the matter of fact.

"So what DO you want for dinner? We're eating out because I'll be damned if I'm going to cook tonight. I'm wayyyy too tired." Well, she actually wasn't but even a blind man can see that her friend was definitely in a better shape than before.

She wanted to celebrate; a toast to Ranma, for feeling awful but 'ain't no way gonna get worse and I'll be damned if I ain't gonna get better.'

The said girl was miles away, currently starring at something in the distance… something only she can see. She had a sad smile on her face when she turned to Minami, a fact which she was glad for.

"Let's have Okonomiyaki."

While it was a sad smile, it was still genuine. The mask was gone.

--- TT ---

Author's note:

Thank for reading the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it ask much as I did writing it.

First off, I want to thank Treatweaver-san, my trusted pre-reader and a good friend.

This chapter is, again, reflecting on my life at the moment but not only that it also showing something which I always thought people often forgets about…

We humans are not robot, while we can, in fact, smile and endure most things done to us… apart of ourselves will not simply accept that… When I realized I HAVE to go to med school I thought I can just be an obedient child and do it (simply because I can't go to other Uni without consent until I'm 18) But then I realize… a part of me will hate my parents for it… no matter what I think…

Then I realize; we human can't just shut our problem away, smile and take it. To be TRULY happy you must face the problem and not just run away.

Okay, enough of my rant now. Please review, it would make a very good 17th birthday present for me. Yeah, just had me birthday… REVIEW!!!

Happy New Year and Stay tune for the next chapter!!!

--- TT ---

Right... em... when I wrote this I've decided that "This Sky This Dream" isn't gonna be one of those fic where you have to reread each chapters like four times and do back ground research or get a psychology degree to understand it.

Yes, it has a lot of ironical stuff and sub plots and hidden meanings but I want to make it so readers can actually enjoy it without understanding every aspect of the fic. So i've decided to keep the plot summary of each chapter at the end. If you want to read it; proceed.

…

So you're here for the third chapter summary huh? I don't know what to tell you, you really should start catching on by now… lol just kidding, here:

This chapter finally answered some question set in the last one, it also contain hefty amount of clues…but no matter; we'll catch them all!!!

Anyway… Starts off with Ranma who hasn't coped with the fact that he is now a she yet going insane!!! Insane!!! Thus creating Megumi… a subtract personae who, really, is just a more human-like version of the one in "Am I pretty?" episode. She's Ranma stereotype of a girl...

Megumi was actually the one in control ever since when they were watching the morning show, this is shown as Ranma repression a certain feeling she has…

_The thought of giggling seemed to want to linger in her mind, probably to annoy her. She would worry about it later._

Anyway, here you'll find a little foreshadow for the very last arc… Yes, I actually planned that far forward.

Onwards… Megumi continued to act as what she thought a proper lady should… the clues were the constant reminders of

_After all, a girl like her should… _or _After all, such is the proper behavior of a lady_

Now we introduce to more characters: Inoue Kikuko and Tsuru Hiromi. You'll find that Kikuko who plays Kasumi is actually kinda like Nabiki while Hiromi is actually a fan girl!!

Here; you'll find that the whole chapter actually follows the episode synopsis read out by the director.

Goes shopping… Ranma is being tortured… Megumi dressed cute and buy girly things… Minami and Kikuko began to notice.

The jeweler… again, last arc foreshadow… he's actually God… lol, kidding… or am I?

YES! This is wear you began to learn the meaning behind each chapters title!!! Sapphire: Power to see the future; Emerald: Believe to eyes ailment and befuddled minds, again Ranma finding out what's real and what's a figment of an author's imagination.

Anyway, being presented and confronted many times about the falsehood of her happiness and finally being slapped and called a Hypocrite by Minami, the real Ranma began to garner strength to fight back. In the end, they came to a compromise and Ranma is now back in control but won't do a stupid thing like committing suicide or anything like that…

Ranma choosing to eat Okonomiyaki is a sign of her finally accepting that, yes it hurts but she will not run away anymore…. This is conveyed by eating food that reminded her of her imaginary best friend, Ukyou.

C ya!! oh and REVIEW!!! p.s. is anyone actually reading this?


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